Altered Lives The Parody
by DBM
Summary: Warning! Adult/Mature situations, ACC, OOC, AU, SI, SPOILERS for Anime/Manga. The Story? 137 escape the Lab... And things aren't as you'd expect...
1. 00 Cast List

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

"Cast List"

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

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WARNING!  Concepts of Parody & Comedy vary between Peoples & Cultures.

Being a 'Western Otaku' (European Anime & Manga Fan), my concept of Parody is based heavily on the 'MAD' Magazines I read in my youth.  Being an Australian, my concept of comedy may be somewhat bizarre to Foreigners.

Regardless, my own personal visions of Parody & Comedy prompted me to change the names of the Main Characters, into 'joke' versions of themselves.  I'll admit, Finding names that were halfway fitting (at least in MY view) was a task in itself, albeit one that saw me laughing/swearing at the puns & possibilities.

These are the names I've settled on for my story.  I do hope they're close enough to the originals to make character identification easy.  If not, here's a list of clues to help you along.

Aesir Skrewyou - The hair colour of this Teutonic Terror is a subtle warning that her general attitude is like her name - 'I say SCREW YOU!' - spoken with an accent.  Quite a few Fans refer to her as one of the two 'Goddesses' of the show, so I decided to change the name to Aesir, which is Norse for 'Gods'.  As for her Bright Flaming Red/Orange hair being a 'subtle warning', well, with HER 'personality', she NEEDS some sort of public warning system.

AVE 'Maria' Units Won & Too - What dark secrets lurked within these mostly harmless armour-plated-giant-weapons of mass destruction?  HINT Medieval armies named cannons after women, Ancient Warships were 'christened' with the blood of a female sacrifice - which is why ALL ships are referred to as 'she'.  Maria, or Mary, is famous for being a mother.

AVE 'Maria' Limited Editions - Created by STEELY, & used to attack Units Won & Too, in an attempt to increase their scarcity, & thus 'collectability'.  Perhaps STEELY should have just tried to sell them through the Franklin Mint instead?

Cagey Rogue - Secret Agent, & series 'Babe-Magnet'.  How secret?  So secret that NOT even HE knows who he works for!  Or where the Pay Cheques come from for THAT matter!  Definite SMOOTH B-----D!…

Central Dogs Mess - Something you REALLY don't want to set foot in.

Dr Nayokay Akatlover - Despite being a Brilliant Female Scientist, she flunked the 'Doctor Spock' school of raising children, & had a 'weakness' for Evil B-----Ds.  Proof that an 'Intellectual' is merely a person whose education has exceeded their Intelligence?

Dr Ritzy Akatlover - Another Brilliant Female Scientist, she STILL inherited her mother's weakness for Evil B-----Ds, DESPITE being a Blonde Bombshell with an IQ larger than her bust size!  Please note, that's NOT a sexist comment!  We Australians use the Metric system, & measure personal measurements in centimetres - so WE think she's 2.5 times smarter than those who use inches!

Dr Yoo-hoo Atari - Yet Another Brilliant Female Scientist with a 'weakness' for Evil B-----Ds.  Is this an emerging TREND here, or what?

E.T. Field - 'External Thinking' Field.  Can ONLY be created by someone capable of 'thinking outside the box', where the box in question, is their own skull.

Fu2ok - Senior Advisor to an Evil B-----D.  I think it kinds of suits him - after all he IS going against the REAL bad guys. 

Glando Atari - Evil B-----d in Charge, & Full-time Total P---k!  Wears his 'Nazi Beatnik' uniform with Real Style!  'Ataru' is a Japanese verb for 'hitting', & 'Atari' is a dialect version - together with the first part of his name, there is a SUBTLE 'Jap-Lish' insult there!

Hickory Harikari - Closet Authoritarian.  The first name is a play on being plain or a 'Hick' & refers to her mousy appearance, second name refers to her love life, which is committing suicide by going after guys like Toe-Jam.

Kantsee Hayeater - Cyber-nerd, voyeur, & gun nut/survivalist.  The first name is obviously because he wears glasses, the second is because he strikes me as being a stereotype - the U.S.A. Hick town 'farm boy' who goes to college in the Big City, & walks around with a grass stalk in his mouth.

Kowmoo Nogreeze - Easygoing person who "loves his fellow man."  (The first name is because he's supposed to be as placid as a cow, the second, is a joke on his hair style, you just KNOW he doesn't use Hair oil!  As for Rumours about him…  Did the Fans REALLY vote him most likely to A. get a sex change operation-if he hadn't already had one PRIOR to appearing in NGE, B. star in the Yaoi (Gay) remake of the 'Over Fiend' Sex-Horror series, C. be S.N.A.G. enough to be the sister Aesir never had, D. provide the voices for the Japanese dubbed version of 'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'.  For the last one I keep thinking of 'Godzilla' doing a 'Drag' act, with HIS voice.

Little - The 'codename' for the white giant in the basement is one H--L of an understatement.  Still, it's in keeping with the sort of 'Military Intelligence' that appeared in parts of the original show.

Mayi Buttin - Bridge Bunny, shy, quiet, Professional & dependable.  Secretly a BIG 'XENA – Warrior Princess' Fan, although Definitely NOT the sort of girl who'd ride a Nitro-burning Harley Drag Trike down the main street during the 'Dykes on Bike' segment of the 'Sydney Gay Mardi Gras'.

Mazurka Kutsarug - an expert at the 'Cloak & Dagger Two-Step'.  A couple of dancing puns, the Mazurka is a dance, & another term for dancing is 'cutting a rug'.  Her dangerous professional life, coupled with her dangerous private lifestyle, could be described as 'tap-dancing in a minefield'.

Moccona Hoover - Bridge Staff.  Dependable, bespectacled, always on the job, racks up overtime like nothing.  Mainly because he's such a Caffeine addict, he can never sleep.  Will eat coffee 'Grounds', if liquid drink is unavailable.  

MOGGY Super-Computers - named by Dr Nayokay Akatlover (BIG surprise there!), & imbued with her digitised multiple personalities.  The first case of cyber-psychosis brought about by induced schizophrenia.  Still, the computing capabilities of the MOGGY Super-Computers enabled them to play one HELL of a game of DOOM.  Hey, where did you think they got the base floor plans from?

NERVIS - The Secret Organization, their motto "If you knew, what WE do, you'd be NERVIS too."  Various shades of meaning in the motto, A. knowing what they 'know' & being scared by it, B. knowing what they 'do'- genocide, murder, corrupting governments, etc, & being scared by it, C. people 'wanting to join', probably because they LIKE the bits in B…  By the way, the civilian population have some REAL fun with BAD puns based on the name of the group, one of the 'underground' posters depicts an Attack in progress, with the slogan "I'm not NERVIS, I'm just S------G myself!"

Rave Imanonymous - As much personality as the vegetables she ate!  First name is a pun based on her 'Dual Heritage', which she shares in part with the AVE Marias, the second name, well, with NO personality, she WOULD be Anonymous.

Second Strike - A cataclysmic disaster that wiped all Human life from the Southern Hemisphere.  Blamed on the Aliens, it is believed a 'Third Strike' will end the Human race.  Or as they say in Baseball, '3 strikes & you're OUT'!

Shakey Atari - In a world of cloak & dagger mystery, HE was 'Mister Clueless'.  Name is another BAD pun - is he 'shaky' because he's NERVIS?  He wouldn't know how to GET a clue, much less use one.  Basically, we're saying he'd need a map, written directions, AND a Tour Guide to find his own Backside!

Snug Suits - One millimetre thick protective combat outfit, suits are created by spraying 'Mutant Kevlar' particles directly onto the body of a person, just peel off & use again.  And YOU thought they were only 'body paint'?  HA!  Actually, if you DON'T use 'Barrier Cream' BEFORE spraying them on, it's like a FULL BODY WAX job when you try to remove them - OUCH!!  ALL Over!

STEELY - The even MORE Secret Organization!  How secret?  So secret that NOBODY knows THEIR motto!  But it's probably written down somewhere in their Corporate Mission Statement!

TLC - Transparent Liquid Concoction.  As the saying goes, "a little TLC is all that's needed to bring people together…"  Yeah, perhaps, but it takes 'super-glue' to KEEP 'em that way!

Toe-Jam Snoozehard - Athletic Ignoramus!  Can outperform any of the other Pilots at Field & Track, & Sleeping In!  Actually has an IQ lower than his body weight measured in Kilos.  Remember that 100 is the IQ of the AVERAGE person, & 160 is Genius level!

Uhoh Surfsup - Bridge Bum.  Long haired Surfy type, & would be Lead Guitarist.  Often 'CosPlays' as the Transvestite Rock Star from Robotech, usually while doing a music gig at "Thor's Purple Helmet", a local Gay Bar.

If you haven't been scared off by NOW, then what more can I say?

ON WITH THE STORY!


	2. 01 Divergence

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 01 "Divergence"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Disillusioned.

It was dark in the room…

The only illumination came from a single computer screen & a desk lamp.

It was quiet in the room…

The random clicks of a keyboard made the only interruption to the constant background hum of the ventilation system.

Doctor Ritzy Akatlover, chief computer programmer for NERVIS & currently the sole occupant of the room, was working late yet again.

"Oh God!" Ritzy moaned, tears brimming in her eyes, "I'm such a FOOL!"  She leant forward & cradled her head in her hands, oblivious to how her tears dripped onto the keyboard beneath.

The reason for Ritzy's current emotional state, was the accidental reopening of the emotional wound created when her mother had died.

Doctor Nayokay Akatlover had been a career scientist, & her dedication to her work had estranged her from her only daughter.  Ritzy had started work with the organization her mother worked for, partly in hopes of being able to re-establish their family ties.

Ritzy's plan had worked…

Mother & Daughter had gotten to know & respect each other as fellow workmates & scientists.  An easy task, when compared to the complex roles of 'family', & fellow 'women of the world'.  But, they were trying.

Then Nayokay had died, & Ritzy's world had nearly died along with her…

Nayokay's death was Officially listed as suicide, caused by a nervous breakdown.  Although the matter of Nayokay's death was 'officially closed', rumours still spread.  Those 'in the know' whispered it was caused by guilt & remorse, after Nayokay had gone into an insane rage, & killed a child.  

The rumours made it hard for Ritzy to cope with the stress of losing the only family she had left in the world.  Especially since the old saying, 'Like Mother, Like Daughter' had many people not-so-quietly speculate whether Ritzy was going to 'burn out' like Nayokay had.

Ritzy became increasingly isolated, her workmates 'keeping a safe distance' & glancing at her with suspicious looks & biased minds.  It had nearly been too much for Ritzy.  Teetering on the brink of her own nervous breakdown, she had been ready to resign from her job in tears.

Then Glando Atari, the Commander of the NERVIS Base & Ritzy's Superior Officer had stepped forward, & publicly voiced his personal confidence in her…

It had meant the world to Ritzy.  Here was someone who believed in her, who was sympathetic to her plight.  She stayed on, receiving constant encouragement & support from Glando, the man she saw as the 'Shining Knight' who had come to her rescue in a time of need.

A person in love can often be blinded by it, & Ritzy was NO exception.  Her intellect proved no match for her yearning heart & lack of 'experience' in Human Relationships.  Gratitude became infatuation.

Ritzy knew Glando & her mother had had more than a 'close' working relationship, & now she thought she knew why, as she fell hopelessly in love with the man.  Eventually, she & Glando became passionate, albeit discrete lovers.

For years, Ritzy stayed by Glando's side, loyally following his orders, basking in his praise, & sharing his physical affections.  Their relationship enabled Ritzy to put the pain of her mother's suicide behind her & recover emotionally, as well as forward Ritzy's career.  Now, Ritzy had it all!  A reputation as a Top Scientist, a Key Position in one of the Most Important Workplaces on the Planet (with a substantial pay-packet to boot), & a man who loved her.

Then Ritzy saw the information she now had on her screen…

Some time ago, Cagey Rogue had given Ritzy a data file at a wedding party they'd attended.  In the data file were clues that had led Ritzy to a secret memory cache hidden deep in the NERVIS Computer network.  A memory cache that held files with an unusually high level of encryption.

'Who put these files here?' Ritzy had asked herself, 'And why would they need such secure encryption?'

Despite her high-ranking position on the NERVIS base, Ritzy still felt under-informed about too many things.  Things such as why Unit Null was uncontrollable by anyone but Rave, why Unit Won could move without power or pilot, & why Shakey Atari, Glando's son, had been able to pilot Unit Won without any prior training as a pilot.

Ritzy had discretely asked Glando, but he would always put on his stony face & become cold & uninformative.  She had been more than a little 'put out' by Glando's manner.

'I'm his Chief Scientist!' Ritzy had fumed after one incident where Glando had FORMALLY warned her not to ask such questions, 'How can I do my job without proper data?  It's not as if I'm engaging in Industrial Espionage for crying out loud!  I NEED to know!'

The event in question convinced Ritzy to start her own 'research' using the abilities of the MOGGY supercomputers.  The research was painstakingly slow because Ritzy had to thoroughly cover her tracks.  Faced with fitting everything in with the hectic demands of her Official Duties, the curious Ritzy had left her 'clandestine' activities to the deserted after-work hours, disguising them as 'over-time'.

The existence of the mystery files was a temptation that Ritzy resisted for several weeks, but in the end, curiosity overpowered caution, & she set about the task of decrypting the files in her 'spare' time.  

Tonight, Ritzy had finally succeeded in decrypting the files, only to find…

'WHAT!?' Ritzy stared in startled disbelief at the information on the computer screen, 'A report on the 'forced extraction' of my Mother?'

With a growing sense of dread, Ritzy read on, the 'Security-speak' in the report finally resolving some long-unanswered questions she had about Nayokay's death.

Questions like, why Nayokay had 'snapped' in the first place…

Nayokay had been a brilliant scientist, with a keen, disciplined mind.  She had passed frequent physical & psychological examinations.  ANY sign of mental illness, disease, or stress should have been detected.  Yet, strangely enough, none had been.  There had been NO warning signs or symptoms of Nayokay's disastrous breakdown.

And another thing, IF Nayokay had become so 'unstable', WHY had the computers she designed & programmed with digitised versions of her own personality, STILL been used, their systems & programming virtually unaltered?

The unsettling answers to all of these questions & more, were on the computer screen in front of Ritzy…

Numb with shock, Ritzy could only stare in disbelief at the information on the screen.  Even though it answered her questions all too well, Ritzy didn't, couldn't accept the implications of what she saw before her.

That her mother's 'suicide' had been Murder…

The decrypted report showed that there had NEVER been any need to question Nayokay's work.  Not the designs, not the building, not the programming, not even the digitised personality encoding.

Why?

Because there had NEVER been anything wrong with Nayokay's mind.

Or at least, not until the final few days of her life…

In the days before her demise, Psychochemicals, Mind & mood altering drugs, had been secretly added to Nayokay's food & drink.  Drugs that had so badly affected Nayokay's emotions & reasoning, that she had flown into an insane rage, & strangled a child.  Then, in a fit of remorse, Nayokay had taken her own life.

The data file also explained WHY Nayokay was covertly poisoned…

In the course of her work, Nayokay conducted tests & audits on the massive MOGGY Supercomputers, & their various peripheral links.  Nothing unusual there, just the normal duties of a Computer Programmer trying to debug a system.  However, several of her commands & enquiries had tripped silent alarms that protected information STEELY considered 'sensitive'.

That Nayokay hadn't actually accessed the 'sensitive' material didn't negate the fact that she had stumbled across it.  STEELY weren't a group that took unacceptable risks, let alone bet on random chance, & Nayokay had woken them up to the fact that she might pose a potential threat to them, that she might find something out.  If she didn't already 'know too much'.

A decision was made at the very highest levels, that after Nayokay finished the MOGGY super-computer project, she would have 'outlived her usefulness'.  Then, steps would be taken to silence the woman in such a way as to thoroughly discredit her, & anything she might possibly reveal.

And they had done so…

Everyone who knew Nayokay, now remembered her only as a 'burnout', a brilliant mind that had cracked under pressure.  Anything that she might have said, any secret she might have revealed, could EASILY be made to look like the ravings of a mad woman.

The data file also gave indicated WHO had given Nayokay the drugs, if not by actual deed, then at least by direct order…

Nayokay's lover, Glando Atari, the Commander of the NERVIS Base…

Now in total denial, Ritzy desperately tried to find some other explanation that fit, her mind racing as she reviewed everything she knew about Glando.

'NO!' Anger, Fear, Disbelief, & Suspicion battled for supremacy inside Ritzy, 'That's NOT Possible!  The report must be wrong!  They were Lovers, he wouldn't kill her!'

Somewhere in the maelstrom of emotions, a part of Ritzy's mind finally noticed something she'd been ignoring for years - an ominous pattern in Glando's 'personal' relationships…

Glando only had 'relationships' with people of potential use to him.  He would ingratiate himself with them, & then use them & their talents to HIS advantage.  

The relationship frequently ended in death.  Even those 'closest' to Glando.

A chill ran over Ritzy as she tallied them up…

Glando's wife had died under 'unusual' circumstances…  Nayokay's murder was made to look like a 'suicide'…  Cagey, a man sometimes used as an intelligence gatherer by Glando, had disappeared, presumably he was now dead…  Rave…

Rave was an 'unusual' case…  Glando seemed to have genuine affections for the blue-haired girl.  He was always concerned about her, & he often praised her.  

Ritzy had always seen the relationship between the two as that of a surrogate parent & their foster child, a loving 'family' type relationship, strained & diluted by the responsibilities & demands of the work they were involved in.

'He's like a father to her,' Ritzy had thought on more than one occasion, 'Despite what he must be in order to do his job, he still keeps a tender side hidden within him.  Rave is one of the few people he shows it to…'

Ritzy had become a part of that strange, surrogate family several years ago.  In the time since, she had happily watched Rave grow from a child into a young woman, something the childless Ritzy had personally cherished.  Like the cats Ritzy had kept as pets, Rave had found a place in Ritzy's heart.

As had Glando…  Despite the man's emotional aloofness & often cold hard-hearted attitude, Ritzy often daydreamed that one day, when the current trials were over, Glando would finally marry her.

'When this war is over,' Ritzy had convinced herself long ago, 'When we're finally free from the pressures of our jobs…  We can have the sort of life we deserve…  We can settle down & raise a family, a real family of our own…'

Even finding out what she did about Rave hadn't shaken Ritzy's faith in Glando, it had only endeared him to her more.  Here was a member of High Command, being 'Human' enough to be gentle & caring to one such as Rave.

Then Ritzy had seen how Glando treated his own flesh & blood son, Shakey…

Despite the disturbing contrast, Ritzy had chosen to dismiss it as some sort of Father/Son rivalry thing, or ancient family squabble.  Like so many throughout History, Ritzy preferred NOT to give up the sweet delusions of her future hopes, for the current observable reality.

At least, not until Glando sent Rave to battle the 16th Alien…

Ritzy saw how Shakey had grieved when he thought Rave had died to save him.

'Poor Shakey,' Ritzy thought with a lump in her throat, 'If only he'd known the truth about Rave, he would have been saved some pain…'

Glando though, hadn't shown any grief, despite his 'Family Bond' with Rave.  It hadn't made sense to Ritzy.  Not when she thought about the gentle words of praise, & looks of caring kindness Glando often gave Rave.

'Was he bottling his emotions up?' Ritzy had thought at the time, 'Or was that just how he dealt with grief?  In private, rather than in public?'  

Ritzy accepted her explanation, remembering how Glando had treated Nayokay during the MOGGY project.  He had always acted as a Commander should, giving Nayokay discrete praise in public, regardless of what happened in their private lives.  Although he never hesitated to haul Ritzy or Nayokay over the coals if their work was sloppy, or if things didn't run to schedule.

When Ritzy became his lover, Glando had been much the same, discrete in Public, passionate in Private, maintaining an appearance of 'Command Aloofness'.  True, Glando hadn't seemed to grieve when Nayokay died, he had gone about his duties as he normally would, obviously putting the needs of his job before his own personal needs.  Given the important nature of the work they were involved in, Ritzy easily accepted that.

However, Ritzy's unwavering acceptance of Glando's ways was badly shaken, when Glando used an injured Rave to blackmail Shakey into piloting an AVE…

'H-he had to do it,' Ritzy had rationalised at the time, 'If he hadn't, we ALL could have died!  He had to do whatever he could to save the rest of us…  Regardless of how they felt about each other, he HAD to use Rave that way…'

Now, in the informative glow from her computer screen, a horrible suspicion bloomed in Ritzy.  Suddenly, Glando's actions made another kind of sense…

'He… used… Rave,' Ritzy's emotionally battered mind mulled over the concept, 'Despite what they are to each other, he USED her…  As if she were only a convenient means to the end of getting Shakey to pilot…  A mere tool…'

'No… that can't be…' Ritzy shook her head, desperately trying not to accept the worrying notion, 'He… he DOES care for her…  Doesn't he?' 

A cold lump formed in Ritzy's guts, as she contemplated the unthinkable, 'But that could explain…  If… if he didn't… really… care for her, but only what she could do for him… …what he could use her for…'

Ritzy's brilliant mind put two & two together, & found the Cube Root of 64…    

'…is… is that why he gave Rave so much attention in the first place?  He wanted to make her emotionally dependent on him, so that she'd obey his orders?  No matter what the cost would be to HER…'

Memories of a recent meeting with STEELY weighed on Ritzy's enlightened mind, especially as Glando had sent Ritzy to be interrogated instead of Rave…

'H-he made me her substitute…  Me… HER substitute?  Does he think we're the same?  That there's NO difference between us?  That we're both just tools to be used?  That I'm just another damned puppet he can play with however he wants?'

Ritzy's choice of words made her remember how Aesir often called Rave a 'doll', implying that the blue-haired girl had no life of her own, & never would have…

'No…' Ritzy's inner voice screeched as it rebelled against the image, 'I'M NOT a 'doll'!  I'm a woman with a Real Life that…'

As soon as Ritzy thought it, a subversive whisper floated through her mind, observing that her current position was only due to Glando's help…

'All that I am…  I became because HE helped me be this…  Was that why he helped me?  Just so he could make me into a better tool for his own ends?'

Ritzy finally accepted the bitter thought as truth, 'I-I'm… NOTHING… to him…  I always was…  All of us…'

"Oh God!" Ritzy moaned, "I'm such a FOOL!"

Tears brimmed in her eyes, then fell onto the table as she leant forward & cradled her head in her hands.  She sobbed quietly as her heart broke, totally oblivious to how her tears dripped onto the keyboard beneath…

Sometime later, she had recovered enough to contemplate her current position, & what if any future she could reasonably look forward to.  Like many other NERVIS staff, Ritzy knew the final predicted Alien attack was coming.  She knew that after it was over, she & NERVIS would be of diminished use to Humanity.

Once, Ritzy had hoped that the Final Battle would mean that she could marry the man she loved.  But with her current dark knowledge…

'Will he even let me live when I'm no longer useful?' Ritzy asked herself, trembling badly as goose flesh & cold chills ran over her, 'Or will he have me killed too?  After the final battle, there won't be any more need for the AVE Maria Project, or its staff, so…'

Ritzy's eyes widened in sudden realisation, '…its staff?  But… what about the Pilots?  What about Shakey a-and everyone else…?'

People don't like to think about the bad things that can happen to them.  A fact that has frequently resulted in people hurting themselves while doing foolhardy things, as well as many Sterling acts of Unthinking Heroism.  Ritzy was only too glad to think about someone else's troubles, instead of her own…

'…no…' Ritzy kept her thoughts on the side of sanity, 'He wouldn't, they're not… like me… or my mother…  Besides there's too many of them to conveniently kill…  The 'know-nothing' ones couldn't be a threat, at any rate…  they don't know…'

'…know…' the thought nearly stopped Ritzy's heart, '…Rave… knows more than the others… more even than Mazurka… she knows about…'

Ritzy's Maternal Instincts kicked in as she thought of the quiet girl who was almost like a daughter to her, 'Rave won't be needed any more than the AVE's will be…  Will he look after her, like he did my mother?'

The new knowledge of how Glando had 'looked after' Nayokay, quite naturally made Ritzy suspect the worst…

'Glando won't keep her around,' Ritzy quickly concluded, 'When there's no more need for AVE's, they'll go on the scrap heap, along with all the little people who kept them going…  Those of us who know their secrets will be… silenced…'

Ritzy sneered as a sudden thought crossed her stressed mind, 'Huh!  As if his oh-so precious little Blue-Haired Doll COULD live in the Real World!  She has enough trouble living as she does now…'

The sneer trembled & fell away as Ritzy remembered the state of Rave's apartment, then left altogether at the memory that Rave never locked her door…

'…if she tried to live in the Real World as she does now, without the security service NERVIS provides…'

Ritzy was not the only person who had suffered from rumours in her time, nor would she ever be the last.  In her time, Ritzy had heard all the rumours & 'Cautionary Tales' about what could happen to young girls, especially if they were a sweet young thing, all on their own…

Ritzy closed her eyes & grimaced as she imagined the possible consequences…

As the person who conducted Rave's frequent Pilot medicals, Ritzy was aware to the millimetre, of just how much adolescence had changed Rave's body over the past few years.  However, it was only a chance overhearing of some workers making crude comments about Rave's 'endowments', that had finally made Ritzy aware of just HOW much of a 'woman' the young girl had already become in the eyes of those around her.

'She's so… naive…' Ritzy brooded over two mental images of Rave, one wearing a skin tight AVE Pilot Snug Suit, the other wearing a loose & concealing school uniform, 'She doesn't even know how attractive she is…'

'She'll be a stunning woman someday,' Ritzy's vague sense of Maternal Pride almost immediately curdled as she pessimistically observed, 'At least, she could be, if she GETS the chance to grow up…'

'There's nothing I can do to help her,' bitterness twisted Ritzy's face, 'I probably won't even be around to see what happens to her…  Glando will take 'care' of me, just as he did with my mother…  Especially since he's aware that I already know too much about how things really are…'

The truth about her mother's murder was hard enough for Ritzy to take, let alone the reasonable suspicion of her own imminent demise.  The thought that she had been conned into making her entire existence a mere Tool to a man who didn't love her as she did him, only made things worse.

Ritzy felt terrible, she'd suffered several major emotional blows, & all she wanted to do was just go home & cry herself to sleep.  Her weary hand reached out to the keyboard, & punched in a request for the 'secure delete' sub-program that would permanently erase any trace of the night's revelations.

A beep from the computer warned that unread files were about to be deleted…

'Screw 'em!' Ritzy almost snarled the thought aloud, 'I've had my fill of secrets for one night…'

As her finger hovered over the button that would activate the final delete sequence, Ritzy stopped, the innate curiosity that led her to her current situation once more rising up.

'But,' Ritzy reconsidered, 'Will I GET another chance to see them?  If anyone finds out about what I learned tonight…  There's no way I'd get computer access again, even if they didn't kill me…  No…  I'd best get it all over & done with, while I still can!  There may be something important there…'

Ritzy pressed a different button, & the first of the unread files came up on the screen.  Only a short text piece, it referred to other files, noting that…

"WHAT!?" Ritzy sat up straight in her seat, her heart pounding in her chest as her adrenalin level soared, 'The files that got my mother killed!?  HERE!?'

"Well, well, WELL!" Ritzy sneered as she punched in the file access sequence, 'Let's just see what was SO secret that you had to kill my MOTHER for it!'

The first of the decrypted files came up, & Ritzy blinked as she read the summary, a sick feeling growing within as she saw what the file referred to.

Or rather, who…

"…rave…??"

As she read on, Ritzy's guts twisted into emotional knots as she found out some unknown truths about 'Rave'.  Things past, & things planned…

"…oh… oh my god…" Ritzy gasped for breath, her heart thudding inside her like a trip hammer, '…no wonder they killed my mother… the mere… suspicion… of this…'

Ritzy's emotions boiled over as she permanently erased the data on her computer.  She had lost too much on this night…  Her self-respect…  Her professional integrity…  Her peace of mind…  Her hopes for the future…  And now, with her new found knowledge of Rave… her emotional balance as well…

'Glando…' Ritzy ground her teeth, her emotions seething, 'You B-----D!!  I bet you thought you could get AWAY with all this…  But you WON'T!  You'll pay!  ALL of you!  I'll MAKE you pay!'

Ritzy sat in the dark for a long time.  To a casual observer, she appeared to sitting quietly, deep in thought.  To a more perceptive observer, the way Ritzy's hands had clenched into white-knuckled fists, was a sure indication of the mental turmoil within.

"Hell hath no Fury like a Woman'…" Ritzy quoted ominously, a sinister smile appearing on her face as she reached for her keyboard & began to rapidly code new programs.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Doppelgangers.

It was dark in the room…

The light streaming through the open doorway faded into nothingness after a few feet.  Here & there, the ghostly glow of computer screens hovered in the gloom, while LED indicators glowed like myriad eyes in the murky reaches.

It was quiet in the room… 

The only sounds were vague murmurings, with no discernible source.  The sigh of the ventilation system, the hum of computer hard drives, a soft gurgle from somewhere in the darkness.

It was cold in the room…

Not the chill of a winter's day, or the chill of air-conditioning.  It was the chill of caves, of dark places that never saw the wholesome light of the sun.

'This place is spooky,' thought Shakey Atari, as the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise.  A chill ran over him, raising gooseflesh. 

Shakey had a bad case of the 'creeps'.  It wasn't just from this room either, the actions of his two companions were unnerving him as well.  He turned his head & saw that his guardian, Major Mazurka Kutsarug, was still pointing a gun at Dr Ritzy Akatlover.

Shakey sighed, reviewing recent events as he tried to make sense of it all…

Doctor Akatlover had phoned Shakey, telling him to meet her.  He'd done so, & she had taken him to a 'Restricted' part of the NERVIS Base.  Shakey's guardian, Major Kutsarug, had suddenly appeared without warning, pointed a gun at the Doctor, & threatened to shoot her.  

Shakey didn't know if Mazurka was serious or not, as the Doctor & the Major were old college friends.  Still, Mazurka had been wearing her 'serious' face & using her 'serious' voice, & Shakey really didn't want to find out.

'What are we supposed to be DOING down here anyway?' Shakey asked himself for the hundredth time, knowing it was no use asking the others.

Ritzy hadn't given Shakey any information about where they going, or what they were supposed to be doing.  She had met all queries with either a tight-lipped silence, or cryptic comments.  And as for Mazurka…  Well, evidently, she didn't know either.  When she'd first appeared, she had demanded that Ritzy show her all the secrets buried away down here. 

'I wish I'd never come' Shakey thought, longing to be back in Mazurka's warm, brightly lit apartment.  He shivered, more from the foreboding social atmosphere, than the chilly air.

Shakey really wished he'd never seen the weird & disturbing things he had down here.  Like a 'graveyard' for the giant AVE MARIA biological robots, or a creepy room in which Dr Akatlover said Rave Imanonymous had been born & raised.

'Rave…' Shakey wondered where she was, & what she was doing now…

Shakey had last seen Rave in the Hospital, where she was recovering from their last battle against the giant Alien War Machines that attacked the City.  She had self-destructed her AVE in an attempt to destroy the Alien War Machine, & save Shakey.  It had worked, but at terrible cost to the teenage girl.  She had been badly hurt & left suffering from amnesia.  

Shakey only became aware of the extent of Rave's injuries when he tried to thank her for saving him.  Rave had stared blankly into space, & replied in a distracted monotone…

"Oh, did I save you?"

"Don't you remember?"  Shakey had asked, surprised by her question.

"I don't know," Rave replied, "I think…  I must be the Third…"

The conversation had upset Shakey, especially as HE was the 'Third' AVE pilot, not Rave.  He wondered if her condition was due to injuries or painkillers.

'I hope she's going to be okay…' thought Shakey, 'I've never liked being stuck in a Hospital myself, let alone having to visit my friends there…'

The 'second' AVE pilot, Aesir Skrewyou was one such friend.  She'd had a nervous breakdown after one of the Aliens tried to read her mind.  Shakey was appalled at the shadow of her former self she'd become.  

Then there was his friend Toe-Jam.  Slated to be the 'fourth' AVE pilot, he'd suffered permanently crippling injuries during training.  It was a matter of personal grief to Shakey, that Toe-Jam's injuries had been caused when Shakey's AVE had gone out of control.  Shakey had been piloting his AVE, but he wasn't in control when it hurt Toe-Jam.  Something called a 'Doppelganger System' had taken over, & gone berserk.

'I hope they get well soon,' thought Shakey.  The dark knowledge that his friend Toe-Jam would never fully recover, made Shakey wince with guilt.

Shakey's heart-felt wish for his friends' speedy recovery, wasn't just out of friendly concern.  As Shakey was now the only 'useable' pilot, things would depend on him alone if another attack came.  Like any normal teenage male suffering the emotional upheavals of adolescence, Shakey felt insecure in his abilities, & the thought that he might somehow foul up was ever present in his mind.  This 'sole responsibility' for protecting countless lives, was an unpleasant burden on him.

"So this is the heart of the Doppelganger System?"  Mazurka's voice cut through Shakey's thoughts.

'Doppelganger System?'  Shakey frowned as unpleasant memories arose.  His face showed his distaste as he wondered, 'Why did Dr Akatlover bring me HERE?'

"This is where we produce the components," confirmed Ritzy, covertly activating a remote control in her Lab coat pocket.

The main lights in the room suddenly came on, revealing its secrets & startling Shakey & Mazurka…

Not because they saw a giant clear-walled tank of TLC that ran around the other three walls of the room.  But because of what they saw IN the tank…

Dozens of naked blue-haired girls.  All identical to Rave Imanonymous…

"H-Huh?  Wh-What?" gasped Mazurka in shock.

Shakey was more coherent, "Oh my God!  It's RAVE!" he exclaimed.

At the sound of his voice, all the girls in the tank opened their eyes & turned their heads to look at Shakey.  As if recognising him, they began to smile.

Shakey was SERIOUSLY spooked.  He stood & stared, dumbfounded.

"They're ALL Rave," gasped Mazurka, "You mean the Doppelganger System is…?"

"Uh Huh," confirmed Ritzy, "These are the hearts of the Doppelganger System, they're what make it work…"

"But, who ARE they?"  Mazurka pleaded, failing to grasp the full implications of Ritzy's statement.

"These?" queried Ritzy, a pained look on her face, "These are empty vessels.  Nothing but spare parts, spare Raves…"  

Ritzy then launched into a deranged monologue, completely unaware that Mazurka was looking at her as if she thought Ritzy was insane…

Shakey was still staring dumbstruck at the smiling girls in the tank, when something Ritzy said grabbed his attention.

"AVE's are HUMAN?"  Shakey exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes," replied Ritzy, "Inside the empty husk of each AVE, is a Human soul, but the only vessel that can hold a soul is Rave…"

Mazurka & Shakey continued to stare, not comprehending what Ritzy was saying.

"These things…" sneered Ritzy, "…aren't Human, they just have Human form…  I think I'll destroy them…"  She pressed another button on her remote.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Deliberations.

Somewhere in the vast sprawl of the underground NERVIS Base, a 'local services' computer received the destruct signal sent by Ritzy's remote control.  As it was only a low-level computer system, it couldn't authorise the request, due to a programmed fail-safe designed to prevent accidental loss of valuable resources.

'Destruct' requests were only processed automatically if they fell into one of two categories.  Either 'scheduled maintenance' as per prearranged & approved schedule, or 'emergency request' made during an 'Alert'.

As this request fell into neither category, the low-level computer could not give adequate authorisation.  It resolved the dilemma by routing the request to the MOGGY Supercomputers for final clearance.

As was standard operating procedure for such 'anomalous' requests, the MOGGY requested more information.  They traced the source of the request, & activated spy cameras.  They 'saw' the items the request referred to…

Raw materials for the Doppelganger Units.

The MOGGY accessed 'restricted' files to help in their decision, reading secret information…  'Doppelganger Lab Resources - Vital, protect at ALL costs'.

They accessed the personnel file of the person making the request.  They read how the mother of Dr Ritzy Akatlover had killed herself, after killing a child.

The MOGGY deliberated.

The first sub-computer decided, "The request is not logical, there is no need to destroy any resources in the Doppelganger Lab - Authorisation DENIED."

The second sub-computer decided, "Doctor Akatlover is acting irrationally.  If she is successful in destroying them, will she repeat her mother's actions, & kill herself?  - Authorisation DENIED."

The third sub-computer decided, "We will not allow any of these resources to be destroyed needlessly, we will preserve them - Authorisation DENIED."

The initial threat ended, the MOGGY deliberated over what course of action to take, to ensure the continued security of the Doppelganger Lab resources.  

Stopping Ritzy this time, was easy enough.  Ensuring the continued security of the resources in the Doppelganger Lab was not.

Ritzy could certainly try again, & would most likely try immediately, once she knew that her initial attack had failed.  Given her intelligence, it was unlikely she would use the same method again.  Especially since there were so many effective alternates available.

Such as simple Electrocution…

The Moggy immediately activated safeguards against such an event, realising as they did so that a second attack could use methods over which the MOGGY had no direct control.  

Such as poisoning the TLC… 

Or, Ritzy might sabotage the TLC oxygen content regulator systems, or the waste filtration & removal systems, or the TLC thermostat control, or…

It was a complex problem, as removing Ritzy's physical access to the Lab, was NO guarantee of safety.  She might recruit an accomplice, & get them to do the deed for her.  She might even 'hack' the computer controlled life support systems from a remote location, or download a computer virus, or…

The MOGGY ran scenario after scenario, contemplating possible attacks, & possible countermeasures.

All of their countermeasures were susceptible to human interference.  All of the possible attack scenarios could result in unacceptably high destruction levels.

Grouped together as they were, the resources were just too easy a target.

Of all the countermeasures, splitting the main group into smaller groups was the best option…  It would require numerous attacks against the smaller groups to achieve the same destruction levels, as a single attack on a large group could.

It was the best option, as it gave the best survival rates…  

The MOGGY made a decision.

They would RELEASE the resources from their storage container, making each one of them a moving target.  This meant that the number of attacks needed to destroy all of them would be equal to the number of resources.

Ritzy could still try to destroy them individually.  However, that would take much more time, effort, & resources on her part.  There was little chance of her destroying more than an acceptable fraction before Security could intervene.  

Still, she could destroy some.

The MOGGY looked at the situation again, to see if there was any way to reduce Ritzy's immediate ability to destroy the resources.

They found a solution.

The tool of destruction Ritzy had just tried to use, was an automated destruct system, a 'Pulsed Sonic Shockwave', specifically attuned to the resonant frequency of the resources themselves.  Its use would literally vibrate the resources to pieces, much like a singer could shatter a glass by hitting the right note with their voice.

The MOGGY reprogrammed the device's output harmonics & frequency range, & then activated it.

In the Doppelganger, Lab, the clear tank wall suddenly 'crazed', & then shattered in the middle of its span, where the harmonics overlapped.  Bits of tank wall shot across the room, not by the forces involved in the destruction of the tank wall, but by the pressure of the liquid TLC behind it.

The MOGGY immediately shut the Mains power off, to reduce any risk of electrocution, accidental, or deliberate.  The Lab plunged into total darkness.  Battery powered emergency lights switched on, making cones of illumination in the gloom, lighting escape routes, rather then the lab itself.

The TLC continued to flow from the shattered tank, flooding the Doppelganger Lab.  The wavefront hit the three humans, pummelling them with its liquid force.

The resources in the tank were also caught in the surge.

The first of the resources leaving the tank, smashed with the full force of the surge into the Lab fixtures.  Those following, had their journey cushioned by the pulped remains of earlier travellers.

Eventually, the TLC surge subsided.  The liquid swamped the lab, & overflowed into the corridor beyond as emergency drains blocked with debris.  Inside the lab, the occupants lay silently, at most only twitching, stunned by the onslaught they'd just experienced.

As per the calculations of the MOGGY, the use of the reprogrammed shockwave had released the resources, & temporarily incapacitated Ritzy.

The MOGGY's calculations indicated that the bulk of the surviving resources would recover consciousness before Ritzy would.  Coupled with their robust construction, the resources would be mobile & able to escape, even if they were not actually capable of physically defending themselves against an attack.

At least, those resources not too badly damaged…

The MOGGY had estimated that resources would be damaged, or even destroyed by their drastic release from the tank.  The calculated 'wastage' rates were much lower than the 100% destruction rate Ritzy's initial attack could have achieved. 

The MOGGY sent coded messages, requesting immediate dispatch of emergency Security & Medical trauma teams to the Lab.

The MOGGY also sent a coded message to the Base Commander, advising him personally of the event.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Despair.

Dr Ritzy Akatlover slowly regained consciousness…

Ritzy lay sprawled on the ground, pinpricks of light flashing in the darkness of her aching head.  Something warm & wet soaked her from head to foot, making her hair & clothes stick to her skin in a warm embrace.  The pressure of many soft & padded objects surrounded her, weighing her down onto a hard surface laced with grit & sharp edged objects.

Ritzy opened her eyes…

She was lying in a darkened room, lit by the dull glow of emergency lighting.

"Where?" Ritzy asked dazedly, before her senses cleared & her memory came back…

Ritzy realised she was laying on the floor of the Doppelganger Lab, beneath a tangle of pale limbs & bodies.  The blood-like scent of TLC filled the air, identifying the liquid that soaked her.  The sight of the shattered TLC tank wall gave her reasonable proof of what the debris she was resting on was.

'The tank wasn't supposed to be destroyed…' Ritzy thought in dazed confusion.

Ritzy tried to sit up, but the TLC had made the mass of tangled flesh slippery.  She resorted to brute force, roughly pushing bodies aside until she had enough space in which she could sit up & view her surroundings.  Only then did she notice that bodies around her were moving, coughing up TLC, & breathing.

'My attempt to destroy them failed?' Ritzy wondered in shock, 'WHY?'

Ritzy checked her remote control readout.  On it was a brief message from the MOGGY supercomputers, simply stating "Request Denied!"

Ritzy stared at the message in horrified disbelief.  'Why?' she wondered, unable to comprehend it all, 'WHY Mother?  Don't you WANT to be avenged?'

Killing the inmates in the tank was to have been only one small part of Ritzy's revenge against Glando & STEELY.  She had already implemented other, more 'subtle' deeds, that wouldn't be noticeable for some time. 

This act of destruction alone though, would severely discredit Glando in the eyes of STEELY, & bring their displeasure down upon him.  Together with her other plans, Ritzy hoped it would all prove enough to result in Glando being 'terminated' by STEELY.  Hopefully, for being of 'no further use' to them…  

A hollow revenge, as Ritzy knew she would not long survive her actions.  She would be killed, either by STEELY, or if he lived long enough, by Glando.  Not that she thought she could have lived long anyway…  The last 'predicted' alien attack was not far off, & she knew that once it was over, she would no longer be of use to Glando.

Now though…  Ritzy's plans were in serious disarray.

If the MOGGY supercomputers were against Ritzy, then her other plots might fail as well.  Ritzy would die, unavenged against Glando & STEELY. 

The thought of her own untimely death was hard enough for Ritzy to bear.  The failure of her initial attempt at revenge was another bitter blow.  But worst by far, was this seeming betrayal by the MOGGY supercomputers.

The MOGGY supercomputers were more than a computer to Ritzy.  As her mother had designed, built, & programmed them, Ritzy saw them more as 'family heirlooms', something that kept alive the memory of her mother, & her accomplishments.

As well as the spirit of Ritzy's mother, as the MOGGY were also imbued with electronic versions of their creator's personalities.  It was these 'digitised' personalities, literally, Ritzy's own mother, that had just rejected their own daughter's attempt at revenge, in favour of Atari's blue-haired dolls…

"What shall I do now mother?" Ritzy whispered, as her brilliantly laid plans started to unravel along with her mind, "What shall I do?"

It was all too much for Ritzy, she hugged her knees & started weeping, rocking slowly back & forth, like a child who had just lost their mother might do…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Determination.

Major Mazurka Kutsarug groaned in pain.  She had tried to 'shield' Shakey when the tank blew, cushioning the impact of several bodies in his defence.  She now felt decidedly bruised as she struggled to her feet.

Mazurka's 'Command Persona' took over, evaluating the situation, & formulating a tactical response.  It didn't help that she was groggy from blows to the head.  

'First, find Shakey,' Mazurka thought blearily, 'As the only available AVE Pilot, he's Priority ONE…'  

'There he is…' Mazurka felt relief as she saw an apparently unharmed Shakey in the midst of a group of naked girls, pushing them aside as he tried to sit up, 'He seems to be all right…'

'Second, find Ritzy,' Mazurka scowled, 'Until proven otherwise, I HAVE to assume she's an ongoing threat.  S--T, where's my gun?  Oh right, still in my hand…'

Mazurka spotted Ritzy, sitting in the tangle, slowly rocking back & forth…  'She looks out of it for the moment…  Probably took a few whacks on her head…'

'Third, evaluate the situation…' Mazurka looked around.  Wounded lay everywhere, some with broken bones sticking out of their bodies.  Many were in obvious pain.  Others appeared unconscious.

'Some of them are probably already dead…' Mazurka realised, noting the extent of their injuries, 'Well then…  Fourth, raise the alarm, & get help…'

Mazurka stumbled over to a light blinking on a wall grille.  She tried not to tread on the wounded, but she didn't let her concern stop her from walking over them if she had to…  Another injury or two was irrelevant in THIS situation…

As Mazurka had hoped, the steady beacon of a LED light showed that the emergency intercom in the lab still worked.  She punched the 'call' button & spoke rapidly, not waiting for any answer as she knew the call should be automatically recorded if the intercom still worked.

A common design feature of ALL essential electrical gear on the NERVIS Base was multiple atmosphere 'pressure-proofing', intended to prevent damage due to gas or liquid overpressure.  Modular design, battery backup, robust construction & 'wireless' communication ability were also common features.

"Major Kutsarug here.  Dr Akatlover has just blown up the Doppelganger Lab.  We have DOZENS of wounded down here, some 'Terminal'.  We need emergency Medical Trauma teams, ALL you've got, & Security down here **NOW**!  Confirm?"

"Roger that Major," came a tinny reply from the intercom, "ALL available trauma teams are on their way, E.T.A. of first team, about ten minutes…"

"Roger, relief in ten, repeat one-zero minutes.  Kutsarug out," Mazurka barked, before cutting the call & swearing a blue streak.

'S--T!!' Mazurka fretted, 'They need attention NOW!  By the time Medical gets here, some of them will be dead!'

'No choice!' Mazurka decided grimly, as she knelt & tried to disentangle some of the wounded, 'If you want something done…  You've GOT to do it yourself!'

Mazurka swore again as the slick body nearly slipped out of her grasp.

'Fat lot I can do alone…' Mazurka grumbled as she finally pulled one girl safely out of the heap, 'Two people would do this faster, & save more lives.  But…  Shakey won't be up to this sort of thing, & I can't trust Ritzy…'

'Then again,' Mazurka reasoned, 'I might be able to persuade Ritzy to 'be good'…' Mazurka scrambled over to Ritzy, & put her gun to the Doctor's head.

"Dr Akatlover," Mazurka growled, "I'm ORDERING you to help treat the wounded!"

Ritzy didn't reply, she just kept rocking back & forth.

Mazurka realised how spaced out Ritzy was.  She put her gun away, & grabbed the doctor, shaking her roughly, trying to get a response.  This course of action not working, Mazurka resorted to the time-honoured tactic of 'slapping them back to their senses'…

Ritzy came around after half a dozen…

Mazurka was about to repeat her demand, when Shakey started screaming…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Death.

Shakey Atari struggled to sit up, his dazed mind only vaguely realising his current situation.  All he knew was that things were entangled around him, their weight pinning him down.

'Got to get this stuff off me,' he thought, as he tried to free himself.

Then his mind & eyes came into focus, & he became EXTREMELY embarrassed as he realised just what the things were that he was entangled with, & what he had been so roughly shoving aside.

In rising panic, Shakey tried to get free without touching any of the pale bodies around him.  No matter what he did, he'd only get out of one 'embarrassing position', to find himself in another.

'This is worse than when I delivered Rave's I.D. Card,' he thought.

Shakey had finally managed to sit up, when the girls around him began convulsing, making gurgling noises, & coughing up the TLC from their lungs.

Some could not.  

Shakey saw one girl in the heap with a 'flail chest' injury.  Most of her ribs were broken, & her lungs had collapsed.  Unable to draw in air, all she could do was make muted gulping noises, her mouth opening & closing like a goldfish out of water, striving to breathe, but failing.

Shakey tried to help her, pushing other girls from off the shattered body beneath them.  He succeeded, only to have the sickening realisation, that he didn't know what to do to help her.

Shakey had been an AVE pilot for only a few months.  Before that, he hadn't even been a soldier, but just another civilian.  His subsequent battlefield training had mostly been a crash-course in AVE weapons, & AVE piloting skills.  As Shakey had so many more important things to learn, he had never been taught First Aid.  Pointless really, as during all of the battles he had been in, there had always been trained Field Medics waiting to treat any injuries.

Consequently, Shakey didn't have the faintest idea of how to help the girl…  

He looked around, wanting to attract the attention of the Medic he hoped to see, but all he saw were more tangled bodies, more injured needing help.

Frustrated & unable to help her, Shakey did what he could.  He reached out & put his arms around the injured girl, cradling & supporting her as best he could.  Trying to give some small comfort to her, by letting her know, that at least, she wasn't alone, that someone cared.

Shakey held the girl as she lay dying… 

It seemed to help her.  She turned her face to his, & managed to smile faintly at him through her suffering.  She reached up & gently traced her trembling fingers along his cheek, letting her hand lie at the base of his neck for a moment, before it limply fell away.

Shakey noticed she'd stopped trying to breathe.  He gently shook her, hoping for a response, that somehow she'd wake up & start breathing normally.

It didn't work.  Shakey began to cry as he realised that she was dead.  He'd wanted to help her, he'd TRIED to help her, but he'd failed. 

All around Shakey, the other girls began to stir.  Their faces turned towards him, smiling faintly through their pain, their hands reaching out to touch him.

When Shakey had first entered the Lab, he'd had a bad case of the 'creeps'.  It had only gotten worse since then.  Now he sat in a murky twilight, drenched in a liquid that smelt like blood, with a shattered corpse in his arms.  When he half-noticed dozens of pale ghostly shapes reaching for him, he did what many people would do in a similar situation.

He screamed his lungs out…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Desperate Measures.

Mazurka dropped Ritzy, & fought her way over to the screaming Shakey, roughly pushing aside the girls surrounding him.  She grabbed him by his shoulders, & shook him, yelling at him…

"Shakey!  These AREN'T RAVE!  They just look like her!  CALM DOWN!"

Shakey came back from wherever his mind had been, but he still trembled nervously, even more so if any of the girls touched him.

"Shakey," began Mazurka, "These girls are injured.  They need help.  **WE** have to help them.  Do you think you can help?"

Shakey gulped nervously, he didn't know what he COULD do, but he wanted to do something, ANYTHING to make things better. 

"Y-yes M-Mazurka," he stammered, "Tell me what to DO…"

"Right!"  Mazurka spoke calmly & slowly to Shakey, deliberately emphasizing the important bits, "We NEED medical supplies.  We don't have ENOUGH in this lab.  I want you to go & GET some."

Shakey swallowed hard as he looked at Mazurka with frightened eyes.

'Poor kid,' Mazurka thought, before continuing in softer tones, "There should be emergency kits at the Security Checkpoints in the corridors.  We NEED the LARGE YELLOW backpacks.  NOT the small white cases.  There should be both at the Checkpoints.  If there AREN'T any LARGE YELLOW backpacks, THEN bring the white cases…  Can you do that Shakey?"

"Yes!" Shakey nodded vigorously, "Large yellow backpacks, or else white cases…"

"Okay then, GO!"  Mazurka turned him around & pushed him towards the door.

Shakey stumbled his way to the door, mumbling apologies to the girls as he shoved his way past them.  Once free, he took off at a run, the squeaks of his shoes on the damp floor receding quickly into the distance.

Mazurka hadn't really 'lied' to Shakey.  There weren't enough medical supplies in the lab for this situation.  But even the Emergency Kits from the nearest Checkpoints wouldn't be enough.  Although they might help save some lives.

That is, IF Mazurka could get the wounded organised.  There was only her & Ritzy to do the job, & Mazurka wasn't too sure about Ritzy…  

"If we could sort the wounded, that would save valuable time for the Medics…" sighed Mazurka, as she surveyed the mess, wondering WHERE to start next, 'The bodies are so entangled…  It'd take hours for two people to sort them out.  It looked like the badly wounded would have to wait until the Medics arrived…'  

'Which means many are going to die…'  

Mazurka frowned as she noticed the group of girls that had been next to Shakey.

They were all facing the doorway he'd left through.  A couple of them had even stood up, although they were leaning against the walls for support.

Mazurka chewed her lip thoughtfully, & decided to take a risk.

"All Right Ladies!" Mazurka barked, "This is a DIRECT ORDER!  I want you to sort yourself into groups based on injuries!  Those with broken bones, or bleeding injuries, STAY where you are!  Leave the unconscious WHERE they are!  The rest of you, IF you can walk, I want you OUTSIDE, in the corridor, NOW!"

Mazurka's heart skipped a few beats as the girls started to move, disentangling themselves from each other before making their unsteady way towards the door.  

'It's working!' the relief that flooded Mazurka was only temporary, her heart immediately sinking again as she noticed that about a quarter of the wounded were staying put, & that many of THOSE weren't moving at all.

Mazurka turned to address an astonished Dr Akatlover, "Ritzy, I'm leaving you in charge of the wounded.  I EXPECT you to perform 'Reverse Triage' for them."  

The fact Mazurka had her hand on her holstered gun, wasn't really a threat.  

Not quite…

Ritzy closed her eyes, & nodded her head.  She'd been shaken by how well the wounded had responded to Mazurka's words. 

'It's not possible!' Ritzy thought, 'They shouldn't be able to react like that?'

A frown marred Ritzy's face as she realised, 'What am I thinking?  Of COURSE they might be able to react like that!  Just because I WAS told about them doesn't mean I was told the TRUTH about them!  No, just enough half-truths to enable me to do the job 'he' wanted me to do!'

As Ritzy started the messy task of evaluating the injured, she didn't dwell on the irony, that Ritzy, a would be killer, should be ordered to save the lives of her intended victims, by performing 'Reverse Triage' on them.

Literally, deciding who would live, & who would die.

'Reverse Triage' was also known as the 'Dark Side' of First Aid.  When a mass casualty situation occurred, there was often no way ALL of the casualties could be effectively treated, especially if there was a lack of resources.  

In these situations, those with the best chance of surviving got attention, rather than using resources on those who might not live.  The most seriously wounded, were often left to be treated last.  Left to die, so others could live. 

Ritzy bent her back & got about her task, accepting her penance, & making new plans.  She knew Mazurka wasn't joking with her subtle threat.  If Ritzy HAD to die, she'd rather it wasn't at the hands of her friend.  If she was to be killed by an enemy or a stranger, she could at least try to fight back, to take them 'with her' in death.  

Especially if Glando wanted to kill her himself…

'Oh yes…' Ritzy wore a grim smile on her face, as she thought of ways of taking Glando 'with her'.

'Helping the wounded…  MIGHT get me another chance at revenge…' Ritzy's mind began churning, thinking up possible options as a sly gleam appeared in her eye.  

'Perhaps I can use them to make up a story to 'cover' the reason behind my actions?  Hmmm…  What would Glando accept?  Jealousy?  Of his 'family-type' relationship with 'Rave'?  Yesss…  THAT should appeal to the arrogant jerk…'

Ritzy worked methodically, quickly evaluating the remaining wounded, & giving what professional care she was physically capable of.

Ritzy had Degrees in various biology disciplines, & she knew about the 'ethics' of animal research, & Humane Treatment of Lab animals.  To Ritzy's mind, killing the girls in the tank was akin to performing an abortion on a test-tube or 'in Vitro' embryo.  Compared to how the blue-haired Rave was already treated at STEELY's command, it was more an act of compassionate euthanasia or 'mercy killing', than murder.

Mazurka followed the walking wounded out into the corridor.  She didn't like leaving Ritzy alone with the badly wounded, but she wanted to give her friend a chance to redeem herself, to prove herself.  

But ONLY with those most likely to die in any case.

"Right!"  Mazurka addressed the girls in 'Command Mode', "I want you Ladies to line up along the walls, leaving room in the middle of the corridor for the Medics to use, when they get here."

The girls complied, some leaning against the wall for support, others squatting or sitting down, as standing was evidently too much of a strain for them.  Their pale bodies were already showing bruises.  Several were shivering, & hugging themselves with their arms.  Mazurka suddenly realised why, as she felt how chilly her damp clothes were.  

The TLC had been 'body' temperature in the tank, but it was rapidly chilling as it evaporated, stealing body heat in the process.  With the cold air down in the subterranean corridors of the NERVIS Base, Hypothermia was a real threat to the naked girls…

'I've got to do something…' Mazurka knew from training & previous practical experience that multiple Hypothermia cases would only complicate relief efforts, 'The Medics are going to have enough trouble helping the injured in the Lab, let alone the rest of them.' 

Mazurka turned to the girls, "Listen UP Ladies!  Some of you are feeling cold.  That's because the TLC on you is evaporating, & taking away body heat.  I want you to wipe yourselves dry with your hands, & then sit close beside each other.  Try NOT to lean against the walls, but bunch up as much as you can, & use each other for warmth.  We should have 'Thermal Blankets' for you when Shakey gets back with supplies…"

The girls complied, sitting close beside each other, with their knees drawn up to their chests, their arms folded around their legs to help secure their balance.  While they were still losing heat through contact with the floor & through some air convection, the partial insulation offered by bodies pressed close on either side together with their altered ratio of body mass to surface area reduced heat loss substantially.

'It's not the best,' Mazurka decided, before looking inside the lab, 'But it should help them until better is available,' 

In the Doppelganger Lab, Dr Akatlover had made a good start.  Many of the injured were already either rolled onto their sides with their limbs splayed to support them in the 'Lateral Recovery Position', or else lying on their backs with their arms crossed over their torsos.  The latter were the 'goners', those either already dead, or so badly injured as not to be considered 'survivable'.

Mazurka frowned as she realised how many were 'goners'.  Some were still alive, & capable of being saved, if only they could receive the care they needed.

'If only we had more people to render First Aid…' Mazurka suddenly stopped, then swore loudly at herself as she realised they DID have more people, 'Why didn't I think of this sooner?'

Mazurka hurriedly turned back to the girls in the corridor.

"Ladies!" Mazurka urgently announced, "I need to know if ANY of you are able to assist with the wounded.  You'll deal with broken bones, bleeding injuries & breathing problems.  If you ARE trained, I want you to raise your left hand!"

Each girl raised her left hand.

"All Right!" crowed Mazurka, her spirits lifting with genuine hope, "I ONLY want those of you who are FIT enough to do this.  If you are NOT feeling up to it, I want you to remain seated out here in a group, the rest I want to stand up."

Just over half of the girls stood up…

"All RIGHT THEN!" Mazurka grinned, "Ladies, get in there & help Dr Akatlover."

The girls began moving into the lab, along with Mazurka…

Dr Akatlover was surprised when the girls re-entered the lab.  She was even MORE surprised when Mazurka ordered her to assign 'cases' to the girls & let them help with the wounded.  Ritzy complied without protest.  The blue-haired girls had already surprised her with their unexpected ability to follow Mazurka's orders, & Ritzy wasn't going to argue about getting extra help.

Some of the First Aiders helped support the limbs & bodies of those with broken bones.  Others performed 'Expired Air Resuscitation' for those with breathing difficulties, blowing air from their own lungs into the lungs of those who couldn't breathe for themselves.

Some of those who were unable to breathe for themselves were 'flail chest' cases.  Mazurka winced as she saw how the 'breath of life' bubbled out of open chest wounds in a pink froth.

The meagre supply of dressings in the Lab's own First Aid kit quickly gave out, forcing the girls to use 'pressure points' & their own hands as 'pressure bandages' to control bleeding.

One grim task Ritzy kept for herself.  She dragged the 'hopelessly dead', mostly severe head & torso injury cases, into a corner & draped her lab coat over them.  

Shakey returned soon after, bearing two large yellow backpacks.

"Muh-Mazurka," Shakey huffed, out of breath.  He had run down the long corridor to find the Emergency Checkpoint, & run back again, laden with supplies.

"Good Work Shakey!"  Mazurka's praise was genuinely grateful, even if it served the double purpose of reassuring Shakey, & keeping his mind off things.

Mazurka took the bags from him, & walked into the lab with them, where Ritzy & the girls quickly started to empty them, & put their contents to good use.

Shakey had been surprised, & more than a little unnerved to see all those girls in the corridor when he returned.  It wasn't just the fact that there were so many unclothed girls that made him feel self-conscious, but rather the fact that they were ALL looking intently at him with troubled looks on their faces.

As if they were upset at something.  Or someone.

'It's not as if I've done anything wrong…' Shakey blushed with embarrassment, & turned away from the gazes directed at him, 'Dr Akatlover brought me down here!  It's not my fault I'm here when they're… they're…'

Shakey peered in through the door of the Lab, desperately trying to find some place to look that wouldn't upset the girls around him, or make him feel any more embarrassed than he was.  His eyes widened as he took in the scene of organised carnage within the room.  They widened further as he noticed a lab coat, barely covering several unmoving bodies.

"…oh…" a small gasp of shock escaped Shakey, & a tremor ran through him.

'Uh-oh', Mazurka was understandably concerned when she noticed Shakey's reaction, 'I don't think he can take this…  I'd better distract him again…'

"Shakey," Mazurka laid her hands on the boy's shoulders, prompting him to look at her rather than the scene in the room, "We need MORE supplies, can you go in the OTHER direction, & get some from the OTHER Security Checkpoint?"

"O-Okay," Shakey ran off, slightly slower than before, wearing a troubled look.

'He's slowing down…' a worried look crept over Mazurka's face at the thought, 'He might just be tired from running…  But he's wearing damp clothes too…' 

Mazurka frowned as she weighed her options, 'I'll check how he is when he comes back…  Exercise should keep him warm enough for the time being, but once he slows down too much, he'll start feeling cold too…'

'Speaking of which,' Mazurka strode over to the trauma kits & rummaged through them, taking all of the Thermal Blankets from them, 'The girls in the corridor aren't getting any warmer…  Best get these to work as soon as possible…'

Mazurka turned to address Ritzy "I'm going to distribute these Thermal Blankets among the girls in the corridor.  Can you handle things in here?" 

Ritzy nodded wearily.  Reassured, but still wary, Mazurka left the lab.

Mazurka noted with alarm the distressed looks on the girls' faces, & that many of them were visibly shivering.  It was clear to her that the girls were feeling the early effects of Hypothermia…  

'Shakey brought the supplies just in time…' she thought grimly.

Mazurka quickly organised the shivering girls in the corridor into small groups.  She wrapped each huddle of girls with a single Thermal Blanket, & had the various groups sit close beside each other.  This way the girls not only used the Thermal Blankets to conserve their own body heat, they obtained the benefit of having a draft stopper as well.

While only a thin sheet of plastic with a 'mirror' finish, Thermal Blankets have the ability to reflect over 90% of the heat radiated from a normal person's warm body.  They don't MAKE people warmer, they just KEEP them warm.

Tending to the girls needs, reminded Mazurka that there was a lot about them she didn't know… 

'Time I had a 'little talk' with Ritzy…' Mazurka decided with a grim expression.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Discourse.

Mazurka found Ritzy in a quiet corner of the lab, sitting on the desk of a dead computer while the blue-haired girls did all the work of caring for the injured.    

Mazurka half-sat on the table edge beside Ritzy.  Indicating the girls with her hand Mazurka quietly demanded, "Who are they?  Why do they all look like Rave?"

Ritzy sighed, & absently rubbed her temples, 'So, Mazurka wants information…'

"If I told you, you probably wouldn't believe me…" Ritzy mumbled in reply, painfully aware that she wasn't sure WHAT she could tell Mazurka, as Ritzy was no longer sure she even knew any of the truth herself.

"TRY ME…" commanded Mazurka.

"They look like 'Rave' because they are 'Rave', they're Clones…"

"Clones?" Mazurka blinked, "As in identical DNA?"

"Yes," Ritzy wearily confirmed, "Identical DNA, Identical looks.  They all have the same DNA pattern as 'Rave', so they all look like her."

"Are they Clones OF Rave?"

"No.  She is a Clone like them."

"Where did they come from?"

"From a secret experiment to produce the perfect raw materials for the Doppelganger System."

"Raw materials?"  Mazurka wasn't getting answers she could use.  Instead, she got answers that spawned more questions.  Maybe she could make sense of things later, when her head didn't hurt so much, & she'd had a few beers…

"Just what IS the Doppelganger System?" Mazurka asked suspiciously.

"A means of programming & controlling Cybernetic Neural Net Systems," Ritzy stated as if reading from a textbook.

"I already know THAT from when you used it on Shakey's AVE," snapped Mazurka, "What's it got to do with these girls?  That's what I want to know!"

Ritzy sighed.  The full truth about the system was restricted to a handful of people, & Mazurka wasn't one of them, "It's similar to what my mother did when she imprinted her personality into the MOGGY Supercomputers.  However, the Doppelganger System doesn't imprint the personality engrams into a computer, it uses the living brain of a Clone."

Mazurka had a sudden horrific vision of a disembodied brain with wires sticking out of it, floating in a tank of TLC.  She shuddered, wishing she'd never seen how Ritzy had 'plugged' a laptop computer into the MOGGY that time.

Ritzy continued, "We've had varying success using the 'Doppelganger System' with the AVE's.  The most successful run was when Shakey's AVE destroyed Toe-Jam's AVE that time.  We've had 'better' success using it on the three Rave's…"

"THREE Raves?" Mazurka interrupted, stressing the number.

Ritzy nodded, "We implanted memories from 'Rave' into these Clones using the Doppelganger System.  It was so successful that three of them were able to pretend to be her…"

Mazurka looked at the Clones, "So which ones are THEY?"

"None are," informed Ritzy, "The first Clone to be called Rave, died years before you came here.  The first Rave you met, was the second Clone.  She was also the first to be called the 'First' Pilot.  She died in the last battle."

"Then…" Mazurka paused, "…the girl in the Hospital… was the third Clone…"

"Yes," confirmed Ritzy, "The girl known as 'Rave Imanonymous', never existed.  She's a fictitious character, impersonated by a series of identical Clones…"

Mazurka was stunned, "But… WHY?"

Ritzy shrugged, "Ask Glando, I only know what HE'S condescended to tell me…"

"What DID he tell you?"

"Mostly lies…" Ritzy paused before continuing, her voice growing bitter with twisted emotions, "He certainly hasn't told me the truth about these Clones…" 

"He said," Ritzy's voice lowered to a discrete whisper, "…that these Clones were created in a similar fashion to the AVE's…  Grown, not born…  That they were designed as replacements for human pilots…  That most of these 'biological robots', weren't 'intellectually viable'…  That they were mere 'vegetables'…"

Mazurka looked incredulously at the Clones in the room.  From what she saw around her & knew from personal experience about 'Rave', she couldn't accept THAT appraisal of Rave, "But Rave's 'normal'?" 

Ritzy grimaced, "He said, Rave only appeared to be 'normal', due to her being one of the few capable of receiving the extra programming needed to imitate a person…  But that even with 'extra programming', she was nothing more than an 'idiot savant'…  A 'biological computer' that could pass the Turing Test…"

Ritzy went silent as Shakey arrived with more supplies.  She had intended to tell Shakey many things, including the truth about Rave.  Widening the 'family rift' between him & his father, could only be a good thing for the boy.  That was when Ritzy thought she herself, knew the 'truth' about Rave.

Now though…  Things had changed.

Mazurka gave a warning scowl to Ritzy, & then strode over to Shakey.  

'The Emergency Teams will be here shortly,' Mazurka thought, 'I don't have much time to talk with Ritzy, & I'll have NO chance once Security gets here…'  

There were things Mazurka wanted to ask Ritzy, things she couldn't if Shakey was around.  She didn't know how he'd take hearing the questions, let alone the answers.  Things were under control here, or at least, as much as they COULD be.

"Well Done Shakey," Mazurka's praise was genuine, "We need to get these girls off of this cold floor.  On your travels did you see any 'folding chairs'?"  There should have been some of those at the Security Checkpoints…"

Shakey was too out-of-breath to talk, so he just nodded his head.

"Great!" Mazurka smiled reassuringly, "We need some of those, as well.  I want you to go & get some for us.  Think you can do that?"

Shakey nodded, then turned & jogged off, definitely slower than before. 

Mazurka's smile vanished, 'He's slowing down all right…  He's got five minutes, maybe ten before he comes off his adrenalin high, & the stress hits him.  By then, the Emergency Teams SHOULD be here, & I can get him the help he'll need…' 

Mazurka didn't notice the change in the facial expressions of the girls in the corridor.  They looked concerned as they faced the direction Shakey had gone.

Shakey hadn't noticed either.  Although in his case, it was because he'd been unable to look at them due to a not-so-vague feeling of guilt.

Mazurka walked back to Ritzy & resumed her informal interrogation, quietly asking, "So…  What are their names?"

Ritzy shrugged, "We've only ever used the one name for them, 'Rave'."

"Oh Come ON!" demanded an incredulous Mazurka, "You can't just call ALL of them 'Rave'…  It'd be too confusing?" 

Ritzy's face had an expression of distaste as she answered, "Glando told me, 'Raw materials don't NEED names'.  We've never used names for 'them'.  They've never 'lived' out of the tank, so there was never a need for individual names."

Mazurka was horrified, "They've spent ALL their lives in a tank?"

Ritzy looked embarrassed, & turned away from Mazurka's accusing gaze, "Essentially, yes.  Apart from the times they've been taken out for medical examination, & evaluation they've nev…"

**SLAP!** Mazurka's palm connected with Ritzy's cheek at full force.

"HOW IN **HELL** COULD YOU GO ALONG WITH THIS?" demanded a furious Mazurka.  

Ritzy rubbed her cheek, 'How much should I tell you, Mazurka?  Would you even be able to understand, let alone handle the truth?  Could you bear the burden?'

Ritzy's dilemma went unanswered, as the noises of a rapidly approaching group of people came from outside the Lab.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Deliverance.

Ritzy turned to Mazurka, & hissed softly, "Rave isn't just a name!  DON'T trust Glando!  He only cares for HIMSELF, he…"

The noise of the Emergency Teams as they entered the room drowned Ritzy out.  A Medic approached Mazurka & Ritzy, sealing any chance of further conversation.

"Right," said the Medic, "Who's in charge here?  We need to-"

"Security!  Freeze!" several 'Security Spooks' suddenly entered the room with guns drawn & their joint attitude one of 'target acquisition'.  They paused momentarily, then went straight to Ritzy.

"Doctor Ritzy Akatlover," growled one burly Security Guard as the others none too gently hand-cuffed Ritzy, "By order of the Commander, You are under Arrest!" 

"Wait!" protested Ritzy as the Security team proceeded to drag her away, "I haven't advised the Medics on individual casualty details…"

Security was having NONE of it.

"Your recent actions," the same burly guard ground out, "Have invalidated ANY diagnosis you've made.  All cases will be re-evaluated, to ensure that 'misdiagnosis' did NOT take place…"

The Chief Medic frowned & nodded silently as the Security Guard scowled meaningfully at him.  Ritzy HAD tried to kill the Clones, so it was only natural that she should now be suspected of medical 'sabotage'.  Ritzy gave no further protest, but hung her head & went meekly, her shoulders slumped in resignation.

Mazurka watched Security take her friend away, thinking hard.  Ritzy had given her some new information, how valuable it was, remained to be seen.

'What did she mean?' Mazurka wondered, 'That 'Rave' isn't just a name?'  

One of the Security Detail interrupted her thoughts.

"Major Mazurka Kutsarug, you are required for an immediate debriefing…"

"It'll have to wait," snapped Mazurka, "I've got a situation here that…"

"You are no longer in charge of this 'situation'…" the Security Spook stated.

"WHAT?  By whose orders?" demanded Mazurka.

"By the Commander's Direct Order, Major.  He also said to use force if necessary to ensure you complied with his order IMMEDIATELY…"

"All Right!  ALL RIGHT!!  I'm going!"  Mazurka knew better than to argue with 'Security Mentality'.  Her voice faded as she walked away, "Just keep an eye out for Shakey Atari, the Third Pilot!  He's down here as well.  He was getting us extra medical supplies when you came, but he should be back in a few minutes…"

Under the watchful eye of several security spooks, the emergency teams went to work quickly & precisely, like the highly trained professionals they were.  Within minutes, all of the casualties had been speedily re-evaluated, their chances for Medivac determined by rigid application of 'Reverse Triage'.

Unfortunately, this crisis had strained the Secure Surgical Facilities past their limits, & some of the moderately injured had to stay behind.  ALL of the injured could have been promptly treated in the local Civilian Hospital system, but that was deemed too much of a 'Security Risk' by High Command.

Instead, the order had come down from High Command itself, that all of the injured **HAD** to be treated within the confines of the NERVIS Base facilities.  This policy would result in several deaths.  Still, as High Command saw it, Humanity was at war with the Aliens, & people did die in wars…  

The Clones were no exception.  Rave#2 had been proof of that…

All of the 'walking wounded' underwent immediate evacuation to Secure Medical Facilities.  In their case, their sheer numbers & slight injuries saw an Emergency Shelter elsewhere in the complex converted into a makeshift ward.

Some of the moderately injured went immediately to various Secure Surgical Facilities elsewhere in the NERVIS Complex.  Others stayed in the Lab & waited.

All of the injured left in the Doppelganger Lab were sorted according to injury, & placed near the door on stretchers, ready to go to whichever Secure operating theatre first became available.  They all received painkillers.  Although for many of the most seriously injured, it was more to keep them 'quiet' than stabilise them & help them live long enough to receive medical treatment.

When Shakey finally arrived with four folding chairs, he found that Mazurka & Ritzy were gone.  

The Security Guards Mazurka had asked to look out for Shakey, had left with the bulk of the Clones.  The ones that remained were preparing to leave, as there wasn't any sense in protecting those most likely to die.  Especially as High Command had ordered extra security be provided for the Secure Surgical Facilities, & Security personnel were spread thin enough as it was.

A bewildered Shakey tried to find Mazurka.  Not seeing her, or Ritzy, he tried to bring himself to the attention of the remaining Security staff.

"I've got the folding chairs," Shakey hopefully offered.

The Security Spook Shakey spoke to, was not really interested.  The man just looked blankly at Shakey, as if asking for clarification.

"Uh…" stumbled Shakey, "Do you know where Major Kutsarug is?"

"I wouldn't know that."

"What about Doctor Akatlover?"

"I wouldn't know that either."

"W-What should I do with these chairs then?" asked Shakey.

The Security Spook merely raised an eyebrow suggestively & shrugged.  It wasn't any of HIS business.  He had no orders concerning boys with folding chairs.

"Go see the Medical Staff," the Security Spook suggested.

Shakey wandered off to the Doppelganger Lab, where the few remainders of the Emergency Trauma teams were tending the seriously injured.  He stopped & stared at the scene, trying to summon the courage to ask someone what he should do.  

This particular emergency had stretched the Base Medical resources to their limit.  All available staff were needed in the Secure Surgical Facilities.  Consequently, those tending the injured in the Lab were dangerously overworked.

"What do you want?" one Medic asked curtly as he reached for another wound dressing & saw Shakey standing nearby.

"Uh…  I've got the f-folding chairs…" Shakey nervously stammered.

The Medics looked at Shakey with annoyed looks on their faces.  They had no time to waste on a healthy young boy.  Not when they had MORE important things to do.

"We're busy in here," another medic snapped irritably without looking up from the injury he was tending, "Take them outside, out of our way!"

Shakey recognised the dismissive looks he got from the other Medics, looks he'd seen so many times before in his life.  'Beat it Kid,' they all but said.  Feeling embarrassed, Shakey quietly left the Lab.  He wandered out into the corridor, where the Clones had so recently huddled in their Thermal Blankets. 

Shakey wasn't sure he could find his own way out of this complex, & he didn't feel right about asking for help.  Everyone was busy with more important things.  With a despondent attitude, Shakey set up his chairs in the corridor outside the Doppelganger Lab.  He sat down on one of them, deciding to just stay put, & wait for someone to notice him.

So it was, that Shakey Atari sat in a chilly corridor, in damp clothes, not knowing he was succumbing to Hypothermia.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Darkness.

Throughout unknown miles of the Earth's Crust, the many corridors of the NERVIS Base branched, a nearly random Labyrinth that quietly kept its myriad secrets.  These corridors were much the same as each other.  Their non-descript drab & mottled shades of grey were totally devoid of any ornamentation that might relieve the boredom of any casual passer-by.

Let alone the captive audience one corridor held in its almost silent grip…

Shakey Atari sat on a folding chair outside the remains of the Doppelganger Lab, trying to deal with the events of the recent past.

It wasn't easy. 

From inside the wreck of the Doppelganger Lab came muted whimperings, mixed with the moans of the wounded, & the quiet mutterings of the Medics attending them.

Shakey's young mind was ill prepared even in the best of circumstances, to deal with the psychological trauma of recent events he'd endured, let alone the set of circumstances he was in now.

Having been considered by the Medics in the Doppelganger Lab as a nuisance, or dangerous distraction, the distraught youth had been ordered out of the Lab with out any further thought to his own personal condition, or medical needs.

And he HAD needs…

Shakey had been kept too busy helping others to appreciate that he too might possibly require help himself.  Although physically unharmed, the exhausted youth had expended considerable energy in the past few minutes, & he was glad of the chance to sit & rest.  Even though the chilly dampness of his TLC drenched clothes was an unpleasantness he could really do without… 

More than literally…

Unknown to Shakey, the TLC in his clothes was evaporating, robbing him of essential body heat.  Not only which, but the exertions he'd recently performed had lowered his blood sugar level.  Together with the fall off of the Adrenalin High that had sustained him, & with no other 'mental distractions', mental shock was rapidly setting in.

Hypothermia, fatigue, mental distress.  All were contributing to the dark despair Shakey's young mind was spiralling into.

'Rave…' a montage of Rave's many faces swam through Shakey's mind…

'I saw you die…' the experience of the blue-haired girl dying in his arms…

'I wanted to save you…' the memory of his own concern for the injured girl…

'I tried to save you…' pushing others off of the shattered body…

'I failed…' the feeling of helplessness at not knowing what to do next…

'You died…' the girl had gone limp in his arms…

'Because I failed to save you…' he had been there…

'I'm useless…' but he hadn't DONE anything…

'Mazurka thinks so too…' she sent him on an errand, rather than ask him to help…

'That's why she sent me to get supplies…' running away was all he was good for…

'Because she didn't need me…' what good was someone who didn't know how to help?

'Because I'm useless…' the Heart & Soul of the matter… 

'Why else would they look at me like that?' the look on the faces of the girls when Shakey had returned with the first lot of supplies…

Shakey had initially thought their troubled expressions was due to his presence while they were unclothed.  After all, they DID appear relatively unharmed…

Then Shakey had seen the covered bodies in the Lab.

People were dying.

Just like the girl who had died in his arms.  

Shakey hadn't been able to save her.

Shakey hadn't been able to save ANY of them…

'I'm an AVE Pilot…' he was entrusted with saving all of Humanity, but had failed to save a single life when the need arose?

'They blame me…' who wouldn't, with what Shakey was supposed to be?

'But how could I have saved her?' he hadn't known what to do…

'Was there something I should have learned?' the confusion of training…

'Did I forget something?' instructors telling him what to do over & over, obviously due to his lack of attentiveness the first time…

'They didn't need me…' Mazurka sent him away, to keep him out of her way…

'No-one does…' the Medics didn't want him nearby either…

'They didn't want me…' only Mazurka & Ritzy had spoken to him, the other girls in the corridor & the Doppelganger Lab had been silent, aloof…

'They saved themselves…' he had seen them tending to the injured…

'I'm useless…' the only conclusion that could be drawn from observable facts…

'Even with an AVE…' his father only sent for him on a chance, not a certainty…

'I wasn't any good…' his first battle was only won when his AVE had gone out of control…

'I failed to save Toe-jam…' he just sat there as Unit Won nearly killed his friend…

'I failed to save Aesir…' his father hadn't even considered him remotely capable of doing anything helpful, why else wouldn't he let him go out & try?

'I failed to save Rave…' the unseeing red eyes…

'I'm a failure…' what more could be said?

'Just a useless failure…' apart from the full truth…

'Useless…' that's why his father had abandoned him…

'Useless…' that's why Aesir always put him down…

'Completely useless…' he always had been…

Shakey began to snuffle, & then to cry, as the full impact of his own opinion overcame him.  Still a growing boy, he was still learning how to act 'Manly'.  However, he knew the old saying of 'Big boys don't cry, they shave'.  He felt ashamed of his tears & the reason for them.  He tried to cry quietly.

Locked in the bitter logic of his circular reasoning, Shakey no longer noticed or cared about the outside world.  The shiver that ran through his body went unnoticed by his mind.  Although the vague feeling of vertigo that washed over him, did prompt him to unconsciously assume a more secure position on his seat.

Shakey splayed his feet out on the floor, & leant forward, curving his spine so that he could rest his forearms on his thighs, & his head on his knees.

Having assumed a seated version of the 'foetal position', Shakey let himself drift further into the inner reaches of his own personal hell, a dark world of self-perceived failure, & undeniable uselessness, a world of bitter recrimination, & self-loathing.

Instead of running away physically, Shakey ran away within himself.  

Deep into the dark recesses of his over taxed mind.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Duet.

Elsewhere in one of the subterranean corridors of the NERVIS Base, Rave#3 walked in quiet solitude, perturbed by some strange physical sensations in her body.

Rave hadn't sought Medical attention, as the odd feelings weren't apparently hampering any of her physical abilities.  Besides, the doctor would ask her 'Where does it hurt', & THAT was the problem.

The feelings didn't stay in any one place…  The feelings came & went in different parts of her body, in different structures.  Limbs, abdomen, chest, head, neck, back, all were affected.

It wasn't just the location of the feelings that wasn't constant…  The feelings didn't stay constant, subtly changing from the sensations of broken bones, to bad cuts, bruises, pulled muscles, or sprains.  The intensity of individual feelings was also constantly changing, fading slowly into & out of awareness, rather than having the abrupt onset & slow ebb that such injuries normally had.

It was confusing, especially since Rave#3 had never had any such injuries, let alone in any of the places that hurt.  

'Neither had the Others,' Rave mused, 'In most of the places that… sensate…'

'I should not seek Medical attention,' Rave decided, 'Without having an obvious need for treatment.  Perhaps some exercise will make the cause of the feelings fully manifest itself?  If so, I will be better able to determine if I require urgent attention, or if this situation can wait until my next regular physical…'

Rave had promptly started walking towards the Secure Medical Facilities, reasoning that, 'If I require medical assistance, my being near the relevant facilities will make for a more efficient intervention…'

'I hope this will not interfere with my first session in the Doppelganger Lab,' Rave had been slightly worried at the thought, such a situation would not please the Commander.  She blinked in surprise as she noted that the strange feelings seemed to intensify markedly as she thought about the Doppelganger Lab.

'What?' Rave asked herself as she looked in the general direction of the Lab.

Rave blinked again, as the strange feelings did indeed grow stronger.  As did another feeling…  One of restlessness, & unspoken need…

Made curious by the coincidence, Rave wandered towards the Lab, her progress aided by her Security Clearance, & the fact that the Checkpoint Guards knew she was a regular visitor in the underground complex. 

Rave walked, the feeling of restlessness growing more urgent the closer she got to the Doppelganger Lab.  Her puzzled self-analysis of the situation was abruptly interrupted as she noticed someone sitting on a chair outside the Lab.

Shakey heard the squeak of shoes on the moist floor near him.  He looked up to see Rave staring at him.  This was too much for his emotionally fragile mind.

All he saw, was the girl he failed to save…

"I-I'm sorry Rave…" Shakey sobbed, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" asked Rave, her concern for Shakey over-riding her concern about her own problem.  It also helped her postpone any need to investigate the noises & the strong smell of TLC coming from the Doppelganger lab.

"You got hurt because of me," snuffled Shakey.

Rave was perplexed, 'You have not hurt me.  Do you mean the Second?'  She was about to request clarification, when Shakey continued.

"Please don't get hurt anymore," Shakey blubbered, "Please don't die anymore.  Promise me you won't DIE anymore…" Shakey lost it, breaking down & sobbing uncontrollably, his body shuddering with grief & cold. 

'Does he 'know' about me?' Rave wondered as she stood silently, confused by Shakey's words.

Rave turned her mind to analysing the situation, looking for a clue.  She noted that Shakey's clothes were damp, & that the air was chilly.

'He is cold,' she thought with some concern, 'He needs warmth.'

A rustling noise disturbed Rave's thoughts.  She turned her head to see a blue-haired girl with red eyes & a familiar face, emerge from the Doppelganger lab.

The Clone limped, leaning against the wall for support.  As she moved, the Thermal Blanket wrapped around her made the rustling noise that had first alerted Rave to her presence.  

'They took another out of the Tank?' Rave thought in surprise, 'Why?  I am still alive…' 

The injured Clone breathed raggedly, pain & disorientation contorting her pale face.  She looked at Rave, then at Shakey, then back to Rave.  Then the injured Clone slowly unwrapped the Thermal Blanket she wore, revealing 'field splints' on her arm, leg, & chest, & lots of stained bandages…

Rave patiently waited for the other Clone to speak.

The injured Clone didn't.  Instead, Rave was suddenly aware of several 'impressions'.  Sets of disjointed images, feelings, memories she KNEW she'd never had before.

Set#1-Who calls? Dr Akatlover? Major Kutsarug? Pilot Atari! They talk? Strange feeling in TLC? The Tank breaks! Confusion! Pain! Vision Fades Pain grows/fades… Confusion! Where am I? Beneath? Above? Beside? Pain! Cannot Breathe! New memories? Not ME? New Feelings? WHOSE? 

Set#2-Confusion! Pain! Cannot Breathe! Cannot move Weight crushes  Weight goes? Who helps? Pilot Atari? He helps me? He cares? For me? He cares! For ME! Gratitude! Thank You! A trembling hand reaches out to touch him… Vision Fades… Pain fades… 

Set#3-Confusion! Pain! Who helps? Pilot Atari? He helps? He cares? For me? He cares! For ME! Gratitude! He is upset? Concern! Care! For him! Hands reach out to touch him… He is afraid? Why?

Set#4-Confusion! Pain! Pilot Atari leaves? He runs to help? Damp Shiver! Chilly! He returns Thermal Blankets? For me? Share blanket? Me with… me? Confusion! Share! ME with… ME? Confusion! Warmer! Gratitude! Pilot Atari leaves? He runs to help? He is upset? Concern! 

Set#5-Confusion! Pain! Pilot Atari returns He does not run? He is tired? Concern! He leaves again? He does not run? He is tired! Concern! Others come They take me away? I remain? Confusion! Injection? Pain fades… Vision Fades… I am awake? Confusion!

Set#6-Confusion! Pain! Pilot Atari returns with chairs Others ignore him He is tired! Concern! He is upset? Concern! He goes outside? Injection? Pain fades… Vision Fades… I am awake? Confusion!

Set#7-Pilot Atari? He is crying? He needs help? Concern! Why cry? Answer? Confusion! He needs warmth!  

Set#8-Confusion! Pain! Pilot Atari needs help? Concern! Care! For him! He needs warmth? Share! With him!

The injured Clone offered the crumpled Thermal Blanket to Rave, then turned her head to look at Shakey.  She turned back to Rave, & again, Rave received a set of impressions, but much stronger this time.

Set#9-Care! For him! Warmth! For him! Share! With him! 

Not fully understanding the situation, Rave reached out hesitantly, taking the Thermal Blanket offered by the injured Clone.

A faint look of relief crossed the face of the injured Clone.  Then she grimaced, turned, & limped painfully back into the Doppelganger Lab.

Rave wrapped the Thermal Blanket around Shakey.  She stood for a few moments, just looking at the pitiful youth.

Then Rave did the unexpected…

She sat beside Shakey, & put her arms around him.

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 1, & the START of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Disillusioned.

Ritzy's emotions boiled over as she permanently erased the data on her computer.  She had lost too much on this night…  Her self-respect…  Her professional integrity…  Her peace of mind…  Her hopes for the future…  And now, with her new found knowledge of Rave… her emotional balance as well…

'Glando…' Ritzy ground her teeth, her emotions seething, 'You B-----D!!  I bet you thought you could get AWAY with all this…  But you WON'T!  You'll pay!  ALL of you!  I'll MAKE you pay!'

Ritzy sat in the dark for a long time.  To a casual observer, she appeared to sitting quietly, deep in thought.  To a more perceptive observer, the way Ritzy's hands had clenched into white-knuckled fists, was a sure indication of the mental turmoil within.

"Hell hath no Fury like a Woman'…" Ritzy quoted ominously, a sinister smile appearing on her face as she reached for her keyboard & began to rapidly code new programs.

In the days that followed, Glando had several unpleasant surprises.  

Such as finding his Credit Card account was overdrawn by several Million Yen.

When he queried it, he found out that he had HUGE bills for subscriptions to several dozen 'Adult Check' web sites, & hundreds of 1-900 'Phone Sex' numbers…

Then the numerous mail-order purchases started arriving.

They contained some rather strange 'Adult Toys', highly impractical leather 'clothing', & Magazines with 'unusual' titles, containing 'artistic' pictures of 'Real Men, doing Manly Things… With/To Other Men'.

Glando began to sweat nervously as he realised **NO-ONE** would believe this was a simple 'computer error'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Doppelgangers.

"This is where we produce the components," confirmed Ritzy, covertly activating a remote control in her Lab coat pocket.

The main lights in the room suddenly came on, revealing its secrets & scaring the Living C--P out of Shakey & Mazurka.  

Not because they saw a giant clear-walled tank of TLC that ran around the other three walls of the room.  But because of what they saw IN the tank…

Dozens of brown-haired bearded men.  All identical to Glando Atari…

Mazurka gagged, at the gross 'Andy-Warhol-esque' sight.

Shakey was more coherent, "Oh my God!  It's DAD!" he exclaimed.

At the sound of his voice, all the men in the tank opened their eyes & turned their heads to look at Shakey.  As if recognising him, they began to scowl.

Ritzy pressed another button on the remote, & a large tube descended from the ceiling, & dropped a freshly caught Glando on the floor.

"Rrriiitttzzeee" gurgled the Glando look alike, as it struggled to stand up.

Ritzy's hands came up, & the pair of matched .44 Magnum revolvers in them thundered repeatedly.  The dum-dum 'hot load' slugs turned the Glando simulacra into a pile of quivering meaty chunks.

Mazurka & Shakey just stood & stared.  They were shocked by the unexpected sight of Dr Akatlover blowing away what looked like their Commanding Officer.

Ritzy sighed contentedly, & then casually blew the smoke from her guns.

"A Girl has to relieve the stress of working here SOMEHOW," Ritzy quipped.

Noting the stunned looks on the faces of her audience, Ritzy continued, "Would either of you like a try at it?"

"H-How many bullets do I get?" asked Shakey, quivering in anticipation.

"How many Glando's do I get?" asked Mazurka, giving an Evil Grin as she drew her own gun, & flicked the safety off…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Deliberations.

Of all the countermeasures, splitting the main group into smaller groups was the best option.  It would require numerous attacks against the smaller groups to achieve the same destruction levels, as a single attack on a large group could.

It was the best option, as it gave the best survival rates.  

It also gave the best odds at the bookmakers.  

The MOGGY supercomputers made a killing, literally…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Death.

All around Shakey, the other girls began to stir.  Their faces turned towards him, scowling faintly through their pain, their hands reaching out to touch him.

Or rather, to slap him, **HARD**…

"Perverser Mensch" the blue-haired girls screamed in perfect Unified German.

Dr Akatlover pushed bodies aside, trying to sit up.  She was finding it hard to think over the racket some of the Clones were making.

Ritzy turned to look at the noisy group, noting how they were viciously beating the Living C--P out of Shakey.

'Perhaps we shouldn't have used Memory downloads from Aesir' Ritzy mused.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Discourses.

Mazurka half-sat on the table edge beside Ritzy.  Indicating the girls with her hand Mazurka quietly demanded, "Who are they?  Why do they all look like Rave?"

"They look like Rave because they are Rave, they're Clones…"

"Are they Clones OF Rave?"

"No.  She is a Clone like them."

"Where did they come from?"

"From a secret experiment to produce the 'Perfect Anime Heroine'."

"Perfect Anime Heroine?"  

"Yes.  We Cloned Megumi Hayashibara-Sama.  The talented voice actress/singer."

"So why is their hair blue?  Hers is normal…"

"Recessive Anime Genes from her time playing 'Ai Amano', & 'Karin Aoi'…"

"Poor girls…" Mazurka commiserated, "Still it could be worse, Rave could have the personality of 'Lina Inverse' & end up destroying everything…"

"O_O;" Ritzy sweat dropped profusely as she wondered, 'Hasn't Mazurka seen the script for 'End Of Evangelion' yet?'

NOTE #1 Ms Megumi Hayashibara was the voice actress for Rei Ayanami (NGE), Ai Amano (Video Girl Ai), Karin Aoi (DNA^2), & Lina Inverse (Slayers).  As well as many other characters in her illustrious career.  She also is a talented singer, with several CD Albums to her credit.  Her incredible talent, & sheer popularity with the Fans, ensures instant success of any Anime or CD with her in it…

NOTE #2 Ai Amano & Karin Aoi starred in Anime with 'Star-Crossed Lovers' themes.  Ai was not human, but learned how to love.  Karin was human, but couldn't be with the one she loved.  Both had short blue hair.

NOTE #3 Lina Inverse was a female Sorcerer, with long red hair & a short temper.  Not that I'm making ANY comparisons to NGE ;)  She frequently used the 'Dragon Slave' spell, which was the magic version of the Atomic Bomb.  Slayers was an Action/Comedy series, which focused on the funny side of Total Destruction…  

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Deliverance.

So it was, that Shakey Atari sat in a chilly corridor, in damp clothes, not knowing he was succumbing to Hypothermia.

Still, despite all that had happened, he knew it would all work out, as the writer of this Fan Fiction was a 'True Fan'.  

And that meant, that despite the chapter titles, there was **NO WAY** Shakey was going to be made to 'Squeal Like A Pig'.

Although the Banjo version of the 'Stairway To Heaven' song they used as Elevator Muzak down here WAS a worry…

NOTE - You'd have to know about the infamous 'Squeal like a pig' scene from the movie 'Deliverance' to get this 8(  This movie gave Banjo music a bad name, despite having a hit with the 'Duelling Banjos' scene.  And Yes, a banjo version of the song 'Stairway to Heaven' DOES exist, as does a 'Wobble-Board' version…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Duet.

A rustling noise disturbed Rave's thoughts.  She turned her head to see a blue-haired girl with red eyes & a familiar face, emerge from the Doppelganger lab.

The Clone limped, leaning against the wall for support.  As she moved, the Thermal Blanket wrapped around her made the rustling noise that had first alerted Rave to her presence.  

'They took another out of the Tank?' Rave thought in surprise, 'Why?  I am still alive…'

The injured Clone breathed raggedly, pain & disorientation contorting her pale face.  She looked at Rave, then at Shakey, then back to Rave.  Then the injured Clone slowly unwrapped the Thermal Blanket she wore, revealing 'field splints' on her arm, leg, & chest, & lots of stained bandages…

Rave patiently waited for the other Clone to speak.

The other Clone didn't.  Instead, she suddenly assumed a 'battle stance', a small globe of energy appearing in her right palm.  She closed her hand, & the globe turned into a four-foot long spike of pure elemental force.

Rave followed suit, warily watching her opponent.  She knew this would NOT be an easy victory.  After all, injuries notwithstanding, she was fighting 'herself'.  Same Make, Same Model!  Two opponents with the same performance specs.

Shakey just sat there, knowing something strange was happening, but too out of it to be sure just what.

The two Clones attacked simultaneously, slashing & blocking in deadly harmony.  Their energy spikes merely hummed & crackled whenever they crashed against each other, but vaporised deep molten channels in anything else they touched.

For several tense minutes they ducked & weaved in Mortal Combat, thrusting & slashing at each other, their aggressive moves made at a speed almost too fast to be seen by Human eyes.  It ended when the bandaged Clone tripped on a loosened bandage.  She tried to correct her stance, but Rave seized the opportunity, & attacked with renewed vigour, body slamming her unsteady opponent to the ground.  Once on the floor, the other Clone was at Rave's mercy.  With a single graceful stroke, Rave hacked the head clean **OFF** her adversary!

Shakey's eyes went wide in shock.  He knew Rave was a 'quiet one', but he never thought she was one of THOSE 'quiet ones', the ones you HAVE to keep an eye on!

Rave stood in the corridor, breathing deeply, elated at her victory.  She slowly raised her arms into a 'Victory Salute'.

Inexplicably, a wind began to pick up in the corridor.  It started as a gentle movement of the air, but soon turned into a howling storm.  It buffeted around the corridor, ripping away ceiling tiles & wall panels.  Electrical sparks arced & discharged from the walls, ceiling & floor, striking Rave, & coating her in a blue nimbus of unearthly energy.  A Feral grin spread across Rave's face, as she felt her body being filled with an intoxicating invigoration.  

As suddenly as it appeared, the unnatural storm subsided.

Rave's voice disturbed the still silence, growling in a surprisingly deep, bass voice, "There can BE, only ONE!"

Shakey sat, rigid with terror.  He hoped he was Mad, & that someone would soon come & put him in a nice cosy padded cell where things like this DIDN'T happen.

Rave turned to Shakey, & stalked slowly towards him, her normally calm & serene expression now UTTERLY MENACING in its bland unreadability.  She stopped in front of Shakey, & stood for a few moments, just looking at the pitiful youth.

Then Rave did the unexpected…

She sat beside Shakey, put her arm around him, & said in a surprisingly thick Scottish accent…

"Cousin…  Have you felt the 'quickening' yet?"

NOTE - There is some debate over whether two or more Rei Clones could exist as people at the same time.  This being a Parody, I'll do things MY way, & make it up as I go along…  However, I did think, what if there could be, only one?  It didn't suit the Parody I intended to write, but it DID suit the OMAKE…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	3. 02 Repercussions

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 02 "Repercussions"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Reactions.

Glando Atari, Commander of the NERVIS Base, sat at his desk in his usual manner, the way his elbows resting on the desk propped his arms up so that the interlaced fingers of his hands hid his lower face.  Sunglasses hid his eyes, adding to the impression his unmoving body gave of calmness & complete control.

…In spite of the rather distressing report he was currently listening to…

"…left the Lab to come here," Mazurka finished her 'slightly altered' version of recent events in the Doppelganger Lab.  She'd left out some of the small talk she'd had with Dr Akatlover, but had included all of the important stuff, even if only to let Glando know that she now knew about the girls being Clones.

'Anyway,' Mazurka reasoned, 'He might have heard us talking on spy camera.  It's better to be clear about it now, than face accusations later.'

…As well as to fully cover herself in the future…

Glando remained motionless after Mazurka had finished talking, giving no indication whatsoever of his inner thoughts regarding what he'd just heard.

Mazurka stood at attention, her nerves fraying.  'Is he going to chew me out for letting Dr Akatlover & Shakey into the Restricted Facility?'

"Thank you Major Kutsarug, that will be all," Glando's quiet reply was as sudden as it was tonelessly polite, simultaneously ending the debriefing session & dismissing Mazurka in a milder fashion than she'd dared hope.

Mazurka turned to leave, breathing a silent sigh of relief at her luck.

"Oh, & Major?" Glando absently murmured.

Mazurka froze in mid-stride, & started to sweat nervously as she slowly turned to face Glando, 'Here it comes…'

"Good work in organising the relief efforts," Glando's unexpectedly benign comment was a complete surprise in the circumstances.

"Th-Thank You Sir," Mazurka couldn't help but stammer.  When Glando said nothing more, she turned & quickly left the room, glad to be out of there…

If the truth were told, such unpredictable reactions were a trademark of the mysterious man.  Those who dealt with Glando on a regular basis thought it was a deliberate trait, a conscious attempt on Glando's part to keep other people guessing, to off-balance enemies & keep subordinates on their toes…

…Not that any of them ever thought it advisable to ask Glando about it…

"The Committee aren't going to stay silent on this, Atari," Fu2ok, Glando's closest advisor, & Base Sub-Commander pointed out the obvious, "They'll want 'explanations'…"

"I know," Glando replied tonelessly, a slight frown on his face.

"So what will you tell them?"

"Nothing, until all the facts are known."

"You mean, you're going to stall them until you can think up a good answer?"

"This situation will require thorough investigation.  And the old men know I am nothing, if not 'thorough'."

"Hnnh," Fu2ok snorted derisively.

"Take over for me while I visit the Lab," Glando rose from his chair, "I want to see things for myself."

"Shall I hold any 'calls' from the Committee as well?"

"Just tell them…" Glando didn't bother turning his head when he answered, he just spoke aloud on his way to the private elevator in the corner of his office, "…that I am overseeing the investigations… personally…"

Fu2ok shook his head as he watched Glando walk away, & murmured, "Even with something like THIS hanging over your head, you still don't flinch…"

The elevator doors opened, & Glando Atari, the Human Iceberg, entered the elevator.  The doors started to close.

"Atari," Fu2ok raised his voice as he called out, "A reed will bend in a storm & survive, but an oak tree will break…  Which one are you planning to be?"

"Wait & see…" Glando replied cryptically, as the elevator doors shut.

Thirty seconds later inside the elevator, Glando suddenly punched his fist into the wall.  His face was a mask of rage, & his body trembled.  He froze in position, his body at an angle as he supported his weight on the fist against the wall.  He stayed like that for several seconds, breathing deeply, willing himself back under control.

"Which one am I going to be in the storm Professor?  Reed or Oak?" Glando sneered as his face regained its usual composure.

"Neither.  I'll be the Storm…"

Glando's face twisted into a sly, crooked smile…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Review.

Glando silently stalked the corridors, his face impassive, & his stride oblivious to those around him, only pausing to produce his I.D. at the fully automated checkpoints.  All of the human guards saluted & stayed out of his way.  Word had spread that 'something' had happened, & NO-ONE wanted to be caught between it & the Commander.

As Glando neared the Doppelganger Lab, he noticed someone sitting outside it.

It was Rave#3.  She was sitting at the end of a short row of folding chairs, with a rather large silvery parcel lying horizontally on the chairs beside her.

Glando stopped & took in the sight in front of him.

Wrapped in a Thermal Blanket & lying mostly curled up on three folding chairs, was Shakey Atari.  His eyes were closed, & his head was resting peacefully on Rave's lap.  He seemed to be asleep.  For her part, Rave had one arm around Shakey's shoulders, securing his body on the chairs, & the other cradling his head.  She was watching his face intently.

…So intently, that Rave didn't even notice Glando until he spoke to her…

"Rave, what happened to Shakey?"

Rave suddenly looked up, her dilated pupils narrowing quickly as she focused on Glando.  Her usual expression quickly replaced a faint look of surprise.

"Commander Atari," Rave stated in her usual monotone, "Pilot Atari was soaked with TLC.  Evaporation of the TLC & the local environment caused Hypothermia."

"How is he now?"  Glando's words might have been concern for the well being of his only son, or then again, for his only useable AVE Pilot.

"He is stable.  He has fallen asleep from exhaustion."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't the Medics evacuate him?"

"I do not know."

"Which Medic gave him the Thermal Blanket?"

"He did not get it from a Medic.  It came from an injured Clone."

"An injured Clone?" this was unexpected & Glando's composure cracked slightly.

"Yes.  I had just determined that Pilot Atari needed warmth, when an injured Clone came out of the Lab, & gave me her own Thermal Blanket."

"So you treated him?  Not a Medic?"

"Yes."

"Good Girl," a kindly smile spread across Glando's face.

Rave smiled faintly at the words of praise.

"Commander…"

"Yes?"

"Pilot Atari may… know… about me and the Others…"

"What makes you think that?"

"When I arrived, he asked me not to die anymore…"

Glando didn't reply.

"Commander," Rave's quiet voice interrupted Glando's thoughts, "There is something else."

Glando looked at the Clone in front of him, prompting her with his silence.

"The other Clone.  She… told me… what Pilot Atari did before I arrived…"

"And?"

"She told me without speaking…"

The look of surprise that swept over Glando's face was almost immediately overpowered by an attitude of intense interest, "What do you mean?"

"She was near me when it happened.  I… remembered… what Pilot Atari had done, even though I was not here at the time…  It was… like… a Memory Download… but not like one…"

"Where is she now?" asked Glando, his voice low & urgent.

"I believe she is still in the Lab."

"Tell no-one else about this 'incident' Rave.  Not unless I give authorisation to you, face to face."

"Understood, Sir."

"Good girl," Glando added in kindly tones, "I'll get someone to take Shakey to Hospital.  Stay with him until he's evacuated, then go home, & get some rest.  You are excused from further duties & school until I advise otherwise.  Keep your phone with you, I may need to call you later about this."

"Yes, Sir," Rave replied, blushing faintly from the praise.

"Now," Glando wore a kindly smile on his face, "Where are the Medics?  I need to have a little talk with them…"

"They are in the Doppelganger Lab…"

Glando walked into the Lab.  As he passed through the doorway & out of Rave's field of vision, his kindly smile twisted into a furious scowl…

The first thing Glando did, was to attract the attention of the first Medic he came across.  "You!  Who's in charge in this room?"

The Medic, noting Glando's expression & attitude, merely gulped & pointed out the Team Leader.  Glando strode over & gave orders in rapid succession.

"There's a Male Hypothermia case outside the Lab.  He has Top Priority.  I want him on a Medivac to the Hospital, Now!"

"But…" the Team Leader attempted to protest, his hands sweeping around the Lab to indicate the seriously wounded there.

"I said *NOW*!!" Glando punctuated the use of his 'Command' voice by aggressively staring the man down.

The Medical staff scurried to obey.  Shakey & Rave were soon being escorted to the world outside.

"Now then," Glando continued in more conversational tones, "I think we should have a 'little talk'…  About the level of medical attention, or LACK of same, that particular Hypothermia case received from the Medical staff present…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Restrictions.

Some time later in Glando's office, Fu2ok sat in a chair & waited patiently while Glando finished an important phone call…

"…that's right," Glando confirmed his orders, "I want the pilot of Unit Won kept in Secured Medical Isolation until further notice.  I want him fully sedated while he's on the I.V. Drip.  When he's stable, I want the drip removed before the sedative wears off…"

Glando paused to listen to the other person on the phone.

"No.  He'll be hungry when he wakes up, make sure there is food in his room.  Hide the medication in it…"

Glando paused again, listening to a lengthy speech by the other person.

"No.  No cutlery.  I don't want any 'sharps' or 'breakables' in with him.  'Finger Food' only, & use soft plastic containers.  He is not to have visitors without my authorisation, & he is not allowed to make any phone calls.  He may send & receive written messages, but only those I personally authorise are to be allowed through.  Is that clear?"

Glando paused briefly.

"Good.  That is all," Glando hung up the phone.

Fu2ok's words showed his distaste as he glanced accusingly at Glando, "Is it really necessary to lock him up like that?"

"We don't know how much he knows, or what he suspects…" Glando assumed his usual desk position, not bothering to look at his advisor, "…let alone, how he will react.  I believe it is best to keep him secured, until we can be sure."

"The Major may be a problem…" Fu2ok quietly pointed out.

"Not at all," Glando replied dismissively, "She is concerned for his safety.  All she needs to know, is that he is under observation in Hospital."

"Huh," Fu2ok was openly sceptical, "That will only hold her for a day at most.  Then she'll want to see him."

"It will be sufficient," Glando insisted, "Of more pressing need, are the surviving Clones.  There is a possibility of mental contamination amongst them."

"So," Fu2ok sighed in resignation, "STEELY will want to scrap them.  And us along with them…"

"Not necessarily…" Glando's reply held more than a hint of smug confidence, "This event was unexpected, but its very occurrence indicates that similar events could happen later.  We now have an opportunity to conduct experiments that were never before considered."

"Experiments?" Fu2ok was immediately wary, "You're going to try & sell the Committee on letting the Clones live?  As Lab Rats?"

"The Committee have invested too much in the Clones to just throw them away.  They'll want to know if they can salvage any of them.  To answer that question, we must first determine how many of the Clones have been affected, in what ways, how it affects their… abilities, & whether 'treatment' is possible."

Fu2ok shook his head, "I might have known…  More stalling of the Committee…  You're only postponing the inevitable if they are contaminated…"

"It will take quite some time to thoroughly test them all.  Any time we can get, is time we can use…"

"We could be playing with fire.  If the contamination causes loss of control…"

"Without risk, the Human race cannot advance.  Mastery of fire created Human civilisation."

Fu2ok raised a sardonic eyebrow, "I just hope we don't end up like Prometheus…"

"Indeed…"

"This will affect our schedule though."

"There will be no problem," Glando's smugness was quietly understated, but definitely there, "We still have access to uncontaminated Clones."

"What?  But…?" the light dawned on Fu2ok, "You mean…  The Doppelganger Systems?"

"Yes," Glando quietly confirmed, "Along with Rave#3…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Rejection.

Hours after falling unconscious, Shakey Atari slowly awoke.  The first thing his blurry eyes recognised, was a rather too-familiar ceiling above him.

"Hospital again…" Shaky muttered, ignoring the fact that he didn't have an I.V. drip in him, or that the room didn't have an I.V. drip stand.

'Why am I here this time?' he asked himself, frowning, trying to remember.

…Then his memory kicked in…

A look of deep pain filled his face, & he fell back on the bed.  He began to sob, tears welling from his closed eyes, & flowing down his cheeks.  He turned on his side, & curled up onto a foetal position, hugging himself.

"Rave's dead…" he sobbed, over & over, "Rave's dead…  Rave's dead…"

He stayed curled up for some hours, grieving for a girl he now knew was gone forever from his life.  He cried himself into an exhausted sleep.

When he next woke up, he noticed a meal tray on the table next to the bed.  On it were an insulated plastic beaker, & several wrapped sandwiches.

His grumbling stomach prodded him into investigating.

The sandwiches were an assortment, but all were stale.  The beaker held lukewarm fruit juice.  Although it didn't appear appetising, Shakey tried some.  The sweet taste of the warm juice made him realise just how hungry he was.  He fell upon the food, eating it all, & washing it down with the fruit juice.

Afterwards, Shakey sat & thought.  His emotional state began to lift, due to the food & the psychiatric medication in it.

Shakey's initial course of medication was intended to stabilise his body, & help him cope with the physical demands he'd suffered.  The medication hidden in his food was meant to help him cope with the psychological trauma he had, AFTER he had recovered physically.  Or at least, it would when it was fully absorbed.  Until then, Shakey would have to endure a gradual lessening of his condition, as well as mood swings.

'I need to talk to Mazurka…' Shakey decided in one of his more lucid moments.

Shakey got out of bed, his body protesting the loss of comfortable support the bed gave.  He stumbled to the door, intending to find a phone & call Mazurka, even if he couldn't get through to her, he could leave a message.

'Even just hearing her voice on an answering machine…'

…That was when he found out the door was locked.  From the outside…

"Hey?  What gives?" surprised, Shakey rattled the knob, trying several times to open the door before giving up.

'I guess I'd better call a nurse…'

…That was when he got another surprise.  His 'Nurse Call' button didn't work…

Shakey pressed it, & politely waited, but no voice answered over the intercom.  He tried it several times.  Eventually, he gave up, & lay back in bed.

'I'll speak to the Nurse when she makes her rounds,' he decided, feeling worried by his situation.

With nothing else to do, he spent time thinking about what had happened, & eventually came to the following conclusions…

    Fact 1 - Rave was dead.

    Fact 2 - Another girl had taken her place.

    Fact 3 - There were many girls that looked like Rave.

    Fact 4 - One of those girls had died in his arms.

    Fact 5 - More of them had died, he'd seen their bodies.

    Fact 6 - They'd died because…

Shakey started crying again, as he recalled his earlier feelings of uselessness, & his conviction that people had died because of him.  As the medicine began affecting him, his mind began weaving between extremes of opinion, one minute sinking in the depths of depressed self-loathing, only to swing up the next minute in angry denial…

'I didn't save her…  Is that why I'm locked up?  They blame me?  But how could I save her?  Did I forget something I should've known?  I don't understand…?  They wanted me to Pilot, didn't they?  They didn't want me as a Medic?!'

Shakey was too lost in his own thoughts to be aware of the sound of the door quietly opening.

'Maybe Aesir's right!  Maybe it's all too much for me?  Maybe I am just a weak & stupid boy!?  Oh God…  I'm so sorry…  I'm sorry I didn't save you Rave!  I didn't want anyone to die!  Please don't hate me…  Please forgive me…'

A rustling noise near Shakey made him open his eyes.  He half-expected to see a Nurse or Doctor, instead, he saw…

"Rave?"  Shakey's eyes went wide with fright.  Not three feet away from him was the girl he'd seen die the night before.

"Yes?" replied a familiar voice.  Rave#3 stood near Shakey's bed, calmly looking at him.  She had a meal trolley beside her, & in her hands, the empty wrappers & beaker of Shakey's previous meal.

"Wh-Who are you?" Shakey asked in a voice that trembled & cracked.

"I am Rave."

"Y-You're not Rave!" Shakey denied the statement in a rising panic.

"I am Rave."

"NO!" Shakey nearly shouted, "Rave's dead!"

"No.  I am Rave."

"You CAN'T be!  Rave's DEAD!"

"No.  I am Rave."

Shakey's mind whirled in confusion, 'Why is she here?  The girl I let die?'

"Pilot Atari?" Rave's hand reached out with a handy-wipe towellette sachet, offering Shakey the chance to use the pre-packaged moist towellette to clean up before his meal.

Shakey recoiled violently from the pale limb, falling off the bed onto the floor.  He crawled away from Rave, ending up wedged in a corner of the room.

Rave moved towards Shakey, a slightly puzzled look on her face

"Oh God!  No!  NO!"  Shakey wailed as he cowered in the corner, his back pressed hard against the wall, & his arms shielding his face.

"Pilot Atari?" Rave's expression was one of mild concern.

"…get out…" Shakey pleaded from behind fear-filled eyes.

Rave stopped.

"Get Out!  GET OUT!  **GET OUT!**" Shakey screamed as panic took complete hold of him.

Rave nodded slightly, then turned & silently left.  She paused on her way out to take the meal trolley with her, as well as the food it contained.

In the corner of the room, Shakey was hysterically sobbing his heart out.

In his office, Glando watched the scene on a small monitor on his desk, along with his advisor Fu2ok.

"Well," Fu2ok muttered in disgust, "At least we now know he's aware that 'Rave' is not who she was…  And that we can't lie to him about it…"

"He will deal with it," Glando asserted, "He has no choice."

"Don't you mean 'we' have no choice, Atari?"

"We will give the medication more time to work."

"And if it doesn't?"

Glando cast an annoyed look at Fu2ok, before pressing a button on the monitor that activated a built-in microphone.

"Rave," as always, Glando sounded calm & composed, "We will try again at lunchtime…  Stay in the Hospital, we may need you before then."

In the Hospital, Rave heard Glando on the earphone hidden in her hair.

"Yes, Sir…" Rave looked directly at the lens of a Security camera in the hall she was in, her eyes appearing to stare at Glando from his desktop monitor.

"Make sure you eat.  That is all…" Glando cut the connection.

In the Hospital, Rave wheeled the meal trolley back to the kitchen…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Ruse.

Glando Atari, Base Commander of NERVIS, was one of the most powerful, influential, & dangerous men in all of Japan.

…He was also running out of time…

STEELY was getting increasingly impatient to 'have words' with Glando about the near disaster with the Clones.  So far, he'd been able to stall them on the pretext of investigating the incident.  But he couldn't stall them much longer…  STEELY wanted answers, NOW.  They didn't care that Glando had other problems that needed his urgent attention.  Problems such as having his chief Computer-Programmer in jail, & his only useable AVE pilot in hospital.  Although, STEELY most likely would ask probing questions about those matters when Glando DID finally appear before them…

…And then there was the not-so-little problem currently standing before Glando…

"Why can't I get in to see Shakey?" an angry Mazurka almost demanded.

It appeared Mazurka was more of a 'mother hen' than either he or Fu2ok had thought.  She had been separated from Shakey for les than a day, & she was already 'concerned' enough to confront Glando in his own office.

"Because he is under 'Observation', Major," the undertone of Glando's statement was that there could be no other possible viewpoint, "This situation has affected him more than was originally thought.  I did not wish his condition made any worse, so I imposed a strict Medical Quarantine on him."

'Yeah, Right!' thought Mazurka, 'Since when did you ever give a D--N about him?'

"However…  I am glad you brought this matter up, Major," Glando's words gave no indication of where he intended this conversation to go.

Mazurka blanched, 'Uh-Oh!  Have I just gone too far?'

"The current situation has overwhelmed Base Medical Facilities.  I have decided that the injured Clones will receive treatment in Civilian Medical Facilities."

Mazurka couldn't believe her ears, 'First he denies them help on the basis of maintaining secrecy, & now he's just GIVING it to them?'

Glando stared meaningfully at Mazurka, "I don't want to be… 'misinformed'… about their true condition, as I was with my own son…  So, as part of their Medical care, I have arranged for ALL of them to undergo thorough medical testing…"

Mazurka kept silent, not wanting to invite trouble.

"The Clones will continue to be housed on Base.  They will move from their emergency accommodation, to better, temporary facilities.  Eventually we will construct a specialised compound for them in one of the Residential areas."

Mazurka was amazed, "Y-you're going to put them out in the community?"

"I didn't say that.  They will live in a 'halfway house', where they can gradually acclimatise.  Eventually they will become part of mainstream society."

"Is that what you call Rave's apartment?" Mazurka muttered under her breath, "A 'halfway house'?"

Glando's attitude towards Mazurka changed slightly.  Mazurka swallowed hard as she wondered, '…oops…!  Did he just hear me?'

Glando sat back in his chair & sighed, "Years ago, I gave the Second Rave a choice of where she wanted to live.  A simple act on my part of providing 'Social Empowerment' for her.  Although she had a choice of modern housing, she still chose to live where she now is…"

'So… it's like Ritzy said,' Mazurka mulled over the information, 'Rave lived in that dump because it's like that Lab she was born & raised in.  It seems like 'home' to her.  The poor girl was trapped in some kind of mental fixation…'

"…naturally, there will be considerable security concerns, but I'm sure you'll be able to handle them."

"What?  Me?  What are you talking about?"  Mazurka was caught off-guard by the fear she'd zoned out & missed an apparent change in topic.

"Major Kutsarug," Glando's gaze bored into Mazurka, "Effective immediately, I am entrusting the ongoing care of ALL surviving Clones to you…"

Mazurka was stunned, "B-But why?  Why me?  Why now?"

Glando smirked slightly, "Because Major, you have… impressed me greatly… with your Guardianship of Aesir & Shakey.  Since both of them are in Hospital, you are currently available to take on… other duties."

Mazurka frowned slightly as she evaluated the offer, 'And I suppose the fact it would keep me occupied, & out of your office has nothing to do with it?'

"Unless of course," Glando spoke in an uncommonly apologetic tone, "You'd rather I gave these duties to someone else?"

Mazurka got the distinct impression that refusal would be a P--S-poor career move, & would see her assigned other duties nowhere near as pleasant.  She hardly hesitated, "Yes Sir!  I'll take the job.  But I want FULL control of funding, & FULL control of project tenders.  I want staff as well!"

Glando's eyes glinted, "Well now Major, let's discuss the matter…"

The haggling went on for only a short time.  Glando resisted Mazurka's requests strenuously, but gradually gave way on several concessions.  Eventually, it was over, Mazurka had control of finances, although she didn't get any staff.  Feeling euphoric over her unexpected 'victory', Mazurka strode from Glando's office, her head held high & triumphant on her way to take on her new duties.

…Not realising in the slightest, what she'd let herself in for…

Glando picked up his phone & made a call.

"This is Me…  Major Mazurka Kutsarug has taken charge of the Clones, contact her about scheduling their medical tests.  Send copies to me via secure means."

Glando paused to listen, "No.  There is no need for the Major to know about any tests I specifically request, or their results."

Glando made a second phone call.

"Major Mazurka Kutsarug has taken charge of the Clones.  She will need the facilities as soon as possible.  I want all of the surveillance systems installed before any one moves in.  Inform me when work is complete."

Glando paused to listen, "No.  If she asks, just tell her about the 'standard' systems you're installing, not the others."

Glando made a third phone call.

"I want Base Medical supplies restocked as soon as possible.  Make sure we have full replacements for all trauma consumables used in the current situation."

Glando paused to listen, "Don't worry about 'Stock Takes', reorder the entire inventory list."

Glando paused to listen, "Just do it.  The recent situation has shown that we need more trained personnel than what we have.  I want extra training courses implemented for all available staff.  Ageing & out of date stock is to be consumed in training exercises, & replaced immediately with fresh supplies…"

His current set of ruses completed, Glando assumed a more relaxed posture.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Raves.

'This… may be a Problem…' Mazurka sighed & rubbed her temples, trying to massage away the stress headache she felt developing.  The source of her pain were her new duties of care regarding the Clones…

Mazurka was currently in an improvised Dormitory, checking out the Clones who had been classed as 'Walking Wounded' the night before.  In the aftermath of the Doppelganger Lab incident, the matter of accommodating the girls had been solved by the hasty conversion of a generic Emergency Shelter.  All around Mazurka, Clones stood, sat, or lay silently on makeshift bedding.

It was a surreal scene, as the Clones' identical features weren't differentiated in any way by the identical Hospital gowns they wore.  Consequently, Mazurka had no way of telling them apart, except for those with bandages.  It was extremely disorientating…

'If I'd known it would be this confusing…' Mazurka chewed her lip, & for the first time she wondered if Glando hadn't cheated her in the deal they'd made.

Mazurka looked around her, 'Where do I start on this?  I have to sort them out somehow…  This would be a lot easier if I had staff to help me…  I guess I'll just have to get the Girls to help…'

"ALL RIGHT, LADIES!" Mazurka delicately bellowed in her best 'Drill Sergeant' voice, "Commander Atari has assigned me to take care of you.  Does anyone NOT know who I am?  Put your hands up if you don't."

None of the Clones put their hands up.

"All right then.  I'd prefer you to call me Mazurka, rather than Major Kutsarug.  Have we got that straight?"

The Clones nodded, but remained silent.

"I CAN'T *HEAR* YOU!" Mazurka boomed in her best Command Voice.

"Yes, Mazurka," the Clones chorused in perfect unison, their individual voices merging into a cohesive shout.

Mazurka was taken aback at the unexpected volume of the reply, especially since 'Rave' was a quiet talker, & last night the Clones hadn't said a word at all.  'Well, at least I know they can talk…'

"Now we've got that settled, I need to know who YOU are…" Mazurka turned to the nearest Clone, & asked, "You!  What's your name?"

"I am Rave Imanonymous," the Clone replied.

"…err…" Mazurka blinked, then turned to another Clone, "And you are?"

"I am Rave Imanonymous," the Clone replied.

'…oh boy…' Mazurka turned to a third Clone, "A-and you are?"

"I am Rave Imanonymous," the Clone replied

'I was afraid of this,' the stress was making Mazurka's temples throb.  Turning back to the first Clone, Mazurka asked, "What makes you think YOU'RE Rave?"

"Those in the tank are not Rave.  I am not in the tank.  Therefore, I am Rave."

'…hmmm…  Fair enough…' Mazurka took a deep breath, then asked the same Clone, "How do you explain so many Clones being Rave at the same time?"

"I… do not know…"

Mazurka swept her gaze over the group of Clones, raising her voice as she ordered them as a whole, "Raise your hand if you are NOT Rave Imanonymous…"

None of the Clones raised their hands.

"All right then…" Mazurka had a definite sinking feeling inside herself, "Raise your hand if you ARE Rave Imanonymous."

All of the Clones raised their hands.

Mazurka sighed & rubbed her temples, 'Correction, this IS a Problem…'

Suddenly, Mazurka had an inspiration.  She turned to another Clone & asked, "Do you know how many Clones have been Rave prior to your release from the tank?"

"Yes."

"Which number in the series are you?"

"I am the…" hesitation showed on the Clones face, "…third…  I think…"

Mazurka turned to another Clone, "And you?"

"I am… the… third…" the Clone trailed off, a look of confusion on her face.

Despite the sensation of Deja Vu, Mazurka still asked, "Is there anyone here who DOESN'T think they are the 'third'?  Raise your hand"

A few Clones wearing splints as well as bandages put their hands up.

'Well, well, well…' Mazurka was pleasantly surprised, 'So they don't think they are the 'Third', eh?  This might have possibilities…'

Mazurka turned with interest to the nearest responding Clone & asked her, "Which number are you?"

"I think I am the fourth…"

"Why do you think that?"

"We all came from the tank, together.  Yet, another came from elsewhere.  She was wearing a school uniform, unlike ourselves."

'So,' Mazurka glanced appraisingly at the Clone's splints, 'They saw Rave arrive at the lab…  That means they're the ones left in the Lab because they had broken bones…  They weren't in the main group of the walking wounded…'

Mazurka's 'contacts' amongst the Medical staff had told her what happened after she left.  The bulk of the 'walking wounded' left soon after Mazurka did.  Those remaining in the Doppelganger Lab left at various times afterwards, mostly to either the Hospital or the Morgue.  However, some of those in the Lab only had to have broken bones splinted.  This 'second' group of 'walking wounded' had to wait in the Lab until Security could escort them to where the others were.

The same Medical staff had also informed Mazurka of how Rave#3 had taken care of Shakey, & of the 'Roaring Out' Glando gave the Medics over it.

Mazurka took her time thinking things through, then announced, "Ladies?  There is a girl already known as 'Rave'.  She is the Third to be called that.  She is NOT you.  Do you understand?"

The Clones all nodded.

Reassured, Mazurka carried on, "Now…  Commander Atari wants you ALL to undergo thorough medical tests.  To do that, we need to have some way of telling you apart, for record keeping purposes."

Mazurka turned to a Clone, "Can you tell yourselves apart?"

"Yes.  I am me, not they."

"…uh…" Mazurka sweat-dropped at the deadpan delivery of the obvious, "I mean, can you tell other Clones apart from each other?"

The Clone looked at the others, "Yes, some are wearing bandages."

Mazurka winced as the pain came back, "I meant, can you tell ALL of yourselves apart as individuals?  Regardless of injuries, bandages, or clothing?"

The Clone looked at the others in the room, taking quite some time before answering with a simple, "I cannot."

Feeling a mixture of Frustration & Desperation, Mazurka turned her attention to the Clones as a group, "Can ANY of you tell yourselves apart going by the criteria I just used?"

The Clones looked at each other for some time, but there was no affirmative response.

Mazurka felt tired, 'There goes that theory…  All right, I'll try a different approach…'

Mazurka addressed the group again, "As there is a girl using the name of Rave Imanonymous, you CAN'T use that name.  You'll have to use a different name."

The Clones looked uneasy.

"Does this cause you concern?" Mazurka feared the reply.

The Clones didn't answer.

"Important Point!" Mazurka barked out, "I ASK questions, because I WANT answers!  Honest answers!  TIMELY answers!  If you CAN'T answer my questions, I want you to SAY so!  NOW!  Does having another name cause you concern?  Nod for yes!"

All of the Clones nodded, with one of them speaking up, "We only know how to be Rave.  If we are not Rave, what will we be?"  Others nodded their agreement to the comment.

Mazurka slumped wearily, 'I can't just order them to give up being the only person they know how to be…  I've got to rethink this…'

Mazurka thought long & hard for several minutes before continuing, "How about this?  Each of you keeps calling herself Rave Imanonymous, but you use a number, to identify which one you are?"

The Clones thought this over, & then slowly nodded agreement.

Mazurka breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief.  "Ladies, I need to get some supplies to implement this plan.  I'll try to return before lunch…"

With that, Mazurka gratefully staggered off in search of a headache remedy.  Although she felt like she needed a few dozen good stiff drinks, she decided not to have any alcohol until she'd gotten this mess sorted out.

She was already seeing somewhat MORE than 'double'…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Raffle.

Just before lunch, Mazurka returned to the group of 'Walking Wounded' Clones.  She had a handbag slung over her shoulder, & a large cardboard box in her hands.

Despite the events of the past few hours, Mazurka was actually smiling.  The break she'd had from her charges had allowed her to get a grip on a solution to the problem, & consequently, a much needed boost to her morale…

'Good old Moccona!  I knew I could count on him to help me out…'

…Especially since she'd received the welcome luxury of help from a friend…

Mazurka plopped the cardboard box down onto a folding table, & placed the handbag beside it.  From the box, she took a plastic bag that rustled mysteriously as she set it down on the table.

"All Right Ladies!" Mazurka called out in her Command Voice, "I want you to form a line in front of this table.  I'm ready to assign your numbers."

The Clones rapidly formed a long line, mild curiosity on their faces.

"You'll notice I've got a handbag here," Mazurka pointed at the item in question, "It has numbered cards in it.  Right beside it, is a plastic bag with I.D. Card holders in it."

Mazurka held a hand up in front of herself, the forefinger extended from an otherwise closed fist for emphasis, "I want each of you to take ONE numbered card from the handbag, & ONE I.D. Card holder from the plastic bag!  I want you to put the numbered bit of paper into the I.D. Card holder, & pin it to your hospital gowns…  You'll notice that the numbers run from 5 onwards, I decided to base your numbering arrangement on how many Rave's have come out of the tank."

A Clone spoke up, "Why does it run from 5 onwards, & not 4?"

Mazurka's face fell slightly, "I'm reserving that number for those Clones that didn't survive being released.  As you know, the Japanese word for 4, 'shi' also means death…"

Another Clone spoke up, "What about those in Hospital?  Will they receive numbers as well?"

"Yes," Mazurka confirmed with slight smile, glad of the chance to change the topic & leave the unpleasant side of numbering to one side for a moment, "They will, but I'll assign their numbers later.  Are there any further questions?"

A Clone with a splinted arm spoke up, "Yes.  Some of us require assistance.  Our injuries have affected our manual dexterity."

"Not a problem!" Mazurka happily dismissed the situation with a smile & a wave of her hand, "Either myself, or one of the other Clones can help.  Any more?"

No Clone spoke, prompting Mazurka to cheerfully order, "All Right then Ladies!  If we do this quickly, we can finish assigning numbers before having lunch…"

The Clones rapidly followed Mazurka's instructions.  Within a quarter hour, each of them had a new identification number pinned to their hospital gowns.

"Well Done Ladies!" Mazurka congratulated her charges when the last Clone had donned a number, "I want each of you to memorise your number, as that will be your identifier for tests & between yourselves from now on.  Now!  Lets' eat!"

Mealtime was not as pleasant an experience as Mazurka had hoped.

Like 'Rave' herself, the Clones were vegetarian, & due to 'security concerns', they were fed in their shelter, rather than a Mess Hall.  However, it was the food they got that caused Mazurka woe.  Mostly it was 'vegetarian' portions of old survival ration packs, & a haphazard assortment of fruit & vegetables that had definitely seen better days.

Mazurka's face twitched in barely controlled dismay as she surveyed the unappetizing-looking fare, 'I'll have to speak to Glando about this…  These girls have been through Hell, & THIS is the best we can do for them?'

On a more positive note, Mazurka observed how the Clones were caring for the more badly injured among them.  They prepared the food for them, & helped feed them, making sure that any of the injured got as much food as the healthy.

Mazurka smiled warmly as she saw this, 'They're good girls…'

Events after lunch, were a return to the headache zone for Mazurka.  Despite assigning numbers, the Clones were still too similar for Mazurka to readily tell them apart, even if she could read their numbers.  It was one thing to assign a task such as laundry detail, or checking the wounded to a Clone.  Another to keep track of her in the sea of them.

'It's still not working out,' Mazurka was near despair again, as she assigned bedpan duty to #13, 'I need some way of VISUALLY distinguishing them, but how?'

Mazurka idly scanned the room as she thought, 'Different Clothes?  I've got a budget to work to, & supplying unique sets of identifying clothes to each of them will cut into it severely…  Uniforms, with numbers attached by Velcro?  No, that's still too costly, besides, it'd be treating them too much like jail inmates…  Perhaps armbands?  Colour coding?"

In frustration, Mazurka rubbed her temples, trying to massage away the headache she felt coming on.  She massaged her scalp as well, running her fingers over her hair & idly noting 'Yuck!  My hair's feeling really ratty…  Guess I didn't wash it clean enough last night…  Oh well, I'll give it a good shampoo when I-'

"Of course!" Mazurka exclaimed aloud as inspiration suddenly struck her, startling several nearby Clones in the process, "HAIR!"

"Come here please!" Mazurka politely ordered a nearby Clone, "I need to check your hair…"

The Clone complied, bending forward & presenting her scalp to Mazurka in the same way 'Rave' did when being checked for head lice by the School Nurse.

Mazurka examined the Clones silken hair.  Although short, it was long enough to support several hairstyles.

'Proper Hairstyles cost money,' Mazurka started agonising at the financial prospects, 'Then there's the problems involved in doing so many at once…  Not to mention finding enough decent hairdressers…  Hmmm…  Simple styles though…'

"Ladies?" Mazurka got the Clones' attention, "I need to leave you for a while.  Those of you with tasks, please carry on with them until I get back.  Anyone wanting to help out with a particular task, please see the girl doing it…"

With that, Mazurka was out the door.

Mazurka returned over an hour later, a smile on her face, & another large cardboard box in her arms.  She plopped the box onto the same folding table she'd used earlier.  The Clones watched, openly curious as to what the box would produce this time.  They didn't have long to wait…

"Ladies, I want Clones 5 through 14 up here, on the double," noticing the puzzled looks of the other Clones, Mazurka added, "Don't worry, I'll get around to all of you sooner or later.  Feel free to watch though."

With the first group of 10 Clones in front of her, & with many others looking on, Mazurka put a folding chair in front of the table & motioned Clone number 5 to take a seat.

"Now," Mazurka had a brush in one hand, & a comb in the other as she took up position behind the seated Clone, "I'm going to give you a lesson in something all young Ladies such as yourselves should know.  How to style your hair…"

So began the first of many sessions Mazurka would conduct…

Mazurka taught the Clones how to put their hair into simple styles, using brush, comb, hair ties, clips, ribbons, & bandannas.  They learnt how to do pony tails, ear tails, pig tails, plain & plaits, symmetrical, asymmetrical, combinations…  By the end of the day, all of the Clones were sporting various styles.  Together with the different coloured hair ties & clips, it helped Mazurka tremendously.

…As it did Glando, who watched Mazurka's efforts via hidden spy cameras…

Of particular help to Glando, was one segment where Mazurka was teaching a later group of Clones how to do simple styles.  Other Clones who'd had their lesson, were sitting around styling their own hair, & that of the invalids.  What was so interesting about such a scene, was what Glando saw happen simultaneously among the other Clones in the Hospital ward…

Although they weren't any where near Mazurka, & had NO possible way of seeing her lessons, some of the Clones in the Hospital were imitating Mazurka's exact same techniques.  Because they had no hairstyling equipment, their attempts were limited to combing their hair with their fingers, & using their hands to twist their hair into styles that fell away when they released their grips.

Glando smiled as he murmured, "This should interest the old men…"

So it was, that when Mazurka visited the Clones in the Hospital ward, she neither knew nor noticed what the Clones had attempted.

Mazurka breezed into the Hospital ward with a bunch of made up number-badges, courtesy of the Clones in the Dormitory, "I'm here to assign each of you a number for record keeping purposes.  I'll come around to each bed & let you pick a number for yourselves."

Mazurka was two thirds of the way through when she came to an unconscious Clone.

"Are you awake?  Can you hear me?" Mazurka gently shook the Clone's arm.  Getting no response she continued, "Well, since you're sleeping, I'll just pick a number for you…"

"There is no need for that Mazurka," stated a nearby Clone.

"Huh?  Why?  All of you need a number…"

"She already has a number," said another Clone.

Mazurka was confused, "What do you mean?"

"She is 'shi' (four/death)," a Clone across the room answered.

With growing unease, Mazurka checked for a pulse.

…There was none.  The Clone was dead…

Mazurka swallowed hard as a sense of loss brought tears to her eyes.  Feeling hollow inside, she went through the motions of assigning numbers to the others.

It was only after she'd left the room, that Mazurka realised the odd choice of words the other Clones had used.  She wasn't a superstitious woman, but she did believe in things beyond normal human comprehension.

"Maybe it's a 'Twin' thing," Mazurka muttered as a shiver ran through her.

"Indeed," agreed Glando, watching on spy cameras from his office.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Recovery.

By lunchtime, Shakey had calmed down from his earlier panic.  This was due to the total assimilation of the psychiatric medication hidden in his food.

Shakey sat in his bed, his empty stomach growling & prompting him to wonder, 'Where's the Nurse with the lunch trolley?'

It had been the better part of twelve hours since he'd eaten the sandwiches.  Rave had tried to bring him breakfast, but he'd panicked & told her to get out.  Rave had taken both the meal trolley & the meal on it when she left.  Shakey had not gotten a replacement meal, as no Nurse had come along on her 'rounds'.

The lack of any qualified Nursing staff had not bothered Shakey until his body began informing him that it 'needed to go to the bathroom'… *BADLY*

The absence of a bedpan under the bed made Shakey wonder if there were 'toilet supplies' elsewhere in the room, & so he had searched it thoroughly.  That was when he found that one of the sliding wardrobe doors opened onto a small 'invalid ensuite'.  Apparently, the room was completely self-contained.

A short while later Shakey was feeling much relieved, & better able to appreciate his hunger pangs…

Around the time that lunch should have been served, the door to Shakey's room opened.  Through it came a meal trolley, pushed by Rave#3.  The door closed behind Rave with a clicking noise, evidence that it had locked automatically.

Rave stopped a pace or two inside the door, well away from Shakey's bed.  She looked at Shakey & softly asked, "Are you hungry, Pilot Atari?"

Shakey stared nervously at the blue-haired girl from the safety of his bed, his heart hammering in his chest, although not as badly as on her last visit.  He made no attempt to talk to her, or to go near her.  He just sat & stared.

"Very well then," Rave averted her gaze from Shakey & wheeled the trolley up against the wall beside the door.  Taking the single chair in the room, she sat down next to the trolley.  After looking at the floor for a short while she said, "Do not be afraid of me, Pilot Atari.  I mean you no harm."

After that, Rave seemed to ignore Shakey completely.  She sat quietly & didn't even look in Shakey's general direction.  After a few minutes of statuesque imitation, she took a small book from her skirt pocket, & began to read.

Shakey lay back in bed, & pulled his sheet up over his head.  He tried to ignore both the quiet blue-haired girl & his hungry stomach by pretending to sleep.

It didn't work.  His stomach gurgled & growled with increasing vigour.  The fact the food on the trolley had unusually appetising aromas didn't help either.

Eventually, it got too much for Shakey.  He threw the sheet off, & glared at the girl by the trolley.

Sitting there like that, quietly reading, she reminded him of another girl he'd known.  A girl who had cared about him, protected him, & watched over him when he'd been hurt.  A girl Shakey had thought of as a friend.

'She looks just like her…' thought Shakey, his vision misting over as he began crying again.

"Why are you crying?" Rave asked quietly.

'She sounds just like her too…' Shakey thought.

"…you aren't her…" he snuffled, as the soft voice found its way past his emotional defences

"No.  I am me… not her…"

This honest admission took Shakey by surprise, "…why…?" he asked.

"Why what?"

Shakey shrugged, "…everything…"

Rave sat for a few moments before replying, "I do not know…"

When Shakey hadn't spoken for a few minutes, Rave gently asked, "Would you like something to eat, Pilot Atari?"

Shakey merely nodded, suddenly unable to meet her gaze, let alone speak to her.  Rave wheeled the trolley over beside the bed & uncovered the dishes.  To his surprise, Shakey saw that instead of the usual hospital food, there was roast chicken, fried chips, fresh bread rolls still warm from the oven, hot dogs with fried onions & bacon…  He couldn't help drooling…

Rave stood silently by, her placid gaze watching Shakey 'Rave-style', as the hungry boy wolfed down the food.

…Something that didn't go unnoticed by Shakey, 'She acts just like her…'

Afterwards, Rave wheeled the trolley outside.  She then went back to her seat near the door, sat down, & began to read her book.

As he digested his meal, Shakey had time to reflect on things, & since there was no other entertainment in the room, he began sneaking peeks at the girl who sat on a chair, & quietly read a book…

'She's so much like her…'

After a quarter of an hour of looking, Shakey muttered, "I'm… sorry…"

"What for?"

"For yelling at you before, it's just… this… I don't… I…  Please…" Shakey finally begged, "Tell me…  What ARE you?"

Rave paused slightly before answering, "I am a Clone."

"A Clone?" Shakey was obviously surprised.  Fortunately, it was an explanation he could handle, especially as it helped him deal with what he'd already seen…  'I guess…  That kinda makes you Rave's… 'twin' sister…'

Curiosity prompted boldness in Shakey, "Who are you?"

Rave paused before answering, "I am the third, to bear the name of Rave…"

"THIRD?"

"Yes."

"Then…  Rave died…  Twice?"

"Yes."

Shakey sat back on the bed, a worried look on his face as he thought about this.  'How many times did I lose her?  And WHEN?'

Rave waited patiently.

"…the last battle…" Shakey eventually said to no-one in particular.

Rave said nothing, but waited for Shakey to continue.

"Rave died in the last battle?  Didn't she?"

"Yes.  She was the second to bear the name of Rave."

"…a-and… the… first?" Shakey's timid question feared an answer.

"You never met."

Shakey fell silent, an odd sense of relief washing over him.

"r-Rave…" Shakey felt uncomfortable using Rave's name with this other girl, "Who am I to you?"

"You are Pilot Atari, son of Commander Atari."

"No, I meant…  What am I to you?"

Rave tilted her head slightly, but made no reply.

"What am I to You, Rave?" Shakey asked again.

"I do not… understand…"

Shakey didn't reply, he just put his head in his hands & wept.

In his office, Glando Atari watched the scene, along with his advisor Fu2ok.  Glando activated his microphone, "Rave.  Ask him what Rave#2 was to him."

In the room, Rave heard Glando's latest instruction on her hidden earphone.

"What was the Second Rave to you, Pilot Atari?"

Shakey raised his teary face to the Clone, "Sh-she was… my… f-friend…"

Rave paused slightly before asking, "What am I to you, Pilot Atari?"

Shakey looked away & muttered, "I… I don't know…"

Rave nodded slightly, then asked "Will it upset you, if I sit closer to you?"

Shakey tensed up.  For several moments he didn't speak, but eventually he shook his head.  Rave moved her chair next to Shakey's bed, & sat down within arm's reach of the boy.

Back in Glando's office, the Commander & his Advisor watched intently.

"Well," Fu2ok not only sounded smug, he had the smile to match, "I told you the 'Honesty is the best Policy' approach would work.  At least, in THIS particular scenario…"

"Your moral guidance is noted, 'Professor Cricket'," Glando retorted.

Fu2ok's smile grew at Glando's rare barb.  Adding a raised eyebrow, he asked, "But will he still want to Pilot?"

"He will Pilot," Glando spoke with surety, "Loss of a loved one will provide… incentive…  Especially if there are loved ones left to protect."

Fu2ok looked appraisingly at Glando & wondered, 'How much 'incentive' would your loss provide to him?'

Back in the Hospital, Shakey & Rave sat in silence.  The boy slowly getting accustomed, albeit uneasily, to the Clone near him…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Remorse.

Prefabricated modular materials were the construction materials of choice for the bulk of the NERVIS Base, resulting in a monotonous sameness that spread throughout most of the Base.  Unless 'customised' in some way, the majority of rooms & corridors were uniformly bland, & confusingly similar to each other.  While most were deliberately left undecorated in a simple attempt to save money, some rooms best served their intended purpose, if left plain & bare.

Such as the room Glando was now in…  The only other occupant of the room was Dr Ritzy Akatlover, she sat on a chair with her back to Glando, her shoulders hunched & body slumped, the angle of her hair hiding her downcast face…

"I'll ask you again!" Glando said in a firm 'Command Voice', "Why did you destroy the Doppelganger System?"

Hours in this dismal hole of a 'holding cell' had taken a toll on Ritzy.  She looked pathetically weak & vulnerable, her hair was limp & unkempt, her clothes were stale with sweat & dried TLC.  She answered in a nondescript voice, either totally apathetic to her dire surroundings, or else in total contempt of them, "It wasn't the Doppelganger System I destroyed…  It was RAVE!"

"You disappoint me," Glando said quietly, his 'calm & in control' tones all part of the psychological component of the interrogation.

"You have no basis for me to start with," Ritzy screeched back, anger evident in her voice.

Unfazed, Glando relentlessly interrogated Ritzy, pressing hard for information.  He needed hard data to give STEELY, & she was his only source.  The highly emotional & often near hysterical ravings & outbursts Ritzy gave in reply didn't shorten the process.  Glando often had to wait for Ritzy to calm down, or else he had to repeat, or rephrase his questions to her.

…It took hours for Glando to be sure he'd gotten all he could from her…

Glando glared down at the emotional wreck before him.  Ritzy appeared to have suffered a complete emotional breakdown.  She sat in her chair, weeping, & rocking back & forth, crooning to herself under her breath, apparently oblivious to the world around her.

Glando turned his back on his former lover & walked from the room.  He didn't look back as the armoured door swung shut.  There was no need.

Despite all the hours he'd spent in the room, all the useful information Glando had been able to get pointed to two things…

1 - Ritzy had obviously been deranged by stress.  Another victim of the relentless war being waged.

2 - Ritzy evidently saw the Clones as a threat to her 'relationship' with Glando, & thus what little happiness she had in her life.  She had tried to kill them out of Jealousy & Fear.

Inside, her cell, Doctor Ritzy Akatlover remained in her seat, her head bowed, & tears running freely down her cheeks.

Despite his best efforts, Glando hadn't discovered that Ritzy knew the truth about Nayokay's death…  Or that Ritzy's attack on the Clones had been part of a much larger plan of revenge…

In the dark room, Ritzy sobbed her heart out.  The pitiful way she cradled her weeping face in her hands, completely hid the sly smile on her lips…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Rapport.

In a locked Hospital room, Rave#3 & Shakey were finally talking with each other.  It had taken hours, but the physical proximity, & the perceived similarity of Rave#3 to Rave#2, had finally broken the ice within the boy's heart.  Now the pair were conversing with each other, if not as friends, than at least politely.

Shakey's abilities were needed by NERVIS.  He had to be 'rehabilitated' quickly, & with as few people as possible knowing of his… 'condition'…  The conversation between him & Rave was considered essential therapy…

Shakey was talking to Rave because he was emotionally vulnerable & needed to talk to someone after what he'd been through.  As they conversed, he began to open up, in a way he'd hardly ever done with anyone.  Apart from 'his' Rave…

'Rave' was talking to Shakey because she was under orders to.  She didn't think she had any 'other' reason, apart from professional concern for her fellow pilot.  She didn't realise she found talking with Shakey 'agreeable'…

Unknown to both of them, all of their conversations were being recorded, analysed, & moderated by the MOGGY super-computers.

Glando had wanted to 'supervise' the conversation at all times.  Unfortunately, he had 'urgent' work to do, namely, interrogating Ritzy.  Fu2ok was in a similar position, having been seconded to oversee mop-up & salvage operations of vital infrastructure in the Doppelganger Lab.  Neither could afford to waste time watching two teenage children sitting in a room in silence.

So, both Glando & Fu2ok had reluctantly decided to let the MOGGY Supercomputers 'moderate' the discussion between the two teenagers in the room.  Both men felt secure that the MOGGY's Artificial Intelligence abilities were fully capable of monitoring things, & contacting them should anything of interest occur, or the conversation need a more 'human' touch.

They were correct.  The MOGGY Supercomputers were more than capable of performing as requested.  Indeed, they would have done so perfectly, if it hadn't been for one, small, thing…

…Ritzy had secretly installed new programs, as part of her plans for revenge…

Glando's request for surveillance & moderation of Rave & Shakey's conversation had activated one of Ritzy's 'sleeper' programs.  Rather than advise Rave NOT to talk about things Glando might not want her discussing, the MOGGY Supercomputers now did the very opposite, they gave Rave 'authorisation' to discuss some VERY classified matters with Shakey…

…As well as failing to record relevant portions of the ensuing conversation…

"What is it like?" Shakey was naturally curious, "Being a Clone I mean?"

"I cannot make an adequate comparison."

"What do you mean?"

"Comparisons are only valid when a common standard is applied."

Shakey gave Rave a blank look.

Rave elaborated, "Consider a blind man trying to match colours.  He cannot apply a common visual standard.  I cannot adequately compare our lives, as I do not know what guidelines to use, or how to grade things by them."

Shakey wasn't sure how to take that, it made him feel… uneasy… just thinking about it…  He tried another approach, "So, where did you go to school?"

"I have not been to any school yet."

"What?  Then you haven't had any formal education at all?"

"I did not say that.  I know as much as the Second Rave did."

"How did you learn?  Private tutors?  Home study?"

Rave paused.  Two short beeps of different tones sounded in her hidden earphone, she had authorisation to answer this question in full.

"Neither.  We Clones were all imprinted with memory downloads from Rave#1 & Rave#2.  The downloads included all of their scholastic learning."

"Memory downloads?"

Another two beeps of different tones, "Yes.  We were given the memories from those who bore the name of Rave."

Shakey sat with a stunned look on his face, "Then," he whispered slowly, "Can you tell me…  What I was to her?"

"I do not… understand… the question…"

Shakey gave a deep, painful sigh, but refrained from crying again, "What did she think about me?  Was I her… friend?"

Rave shifted slightly, feeling strangely uncomfortable at the feelings the question provoked.  Her mind sifted back through what memories she had, searching for an acceptable answer.

"I am unable to answer that question…"

"Why?"

"I do not know how to measure friendship."

"Well, what sort of friends have you… I mean… did she have?"

"I do not know that we have ever had friends…"

"…y-you don't know… if you've ever HAD friends…?"

Rave's face suddenly felt hot & for some reason, she couldn't meet Shakey's incredulous gaze.  She could only offer the small reply, "…i… do not know…"

'She didn't know if she had any friends or not?' Shakey could hardly believe it, even if the Clone's simple admission DID explain a lot of things about Rave to him, 'If she didn't know a simple thing like that, what else didn't she know?'

A memory of a comment made by Ritzy surfaced, 'She's not very good at living…'

Shakey looked at the Clone before him & wondered, 'Is that why she lived like she did?  She didn't know how to live any way else?  So she continued to live the only way she knew how to?'

"Well then," Shakey rephrased his question, "Who would… she… have preferred to be with, me or Aesir?"

"Yourself," the Clone answered without hesitation.

"Did she dislike my company?"

"No."

"How did she feel about my company?"

"It was… agreeable…"

"And are you the same?  Do you find my company 'agreeable'?"

The Clone raised her face & gazed directly at Shakey, her crimson eyes looking deep within his, "I think… I do…"

Shakey blushed slightly & looked away as he ploughed on, "Um… D-did she have any good… ah… I mean… agreeable… memories of me?"

"Yes," the Clone confirmed with a tiny smile, "Many agreeable memories."

"Uh…" Shakey's blush worsened, & he couldn't for the life of him look at the Clone.  Some part of his mind however, made him rabbit on with, "I meant…  Were there any memories she found more… 'agreeable'… than others?"

"Yes."

"C-could you please tell me what…" Shakey wasn't sure if he should be asking what he was asking, but the psychiatric medication was giving him more Manly Spine than he'd ever had before in his life, "…most… um… three… yeah, the three… 'most agreeable'… ones were?"

"When we first met," the Clone answered, "We were badly injured.  We were told we had to fight, despite our injuries, despite our pain.  We expected to die.  You were untrained.  You did not want to fight.  You were afraid of being hurt.  Yet, you preferred to take that chance rather than let us suffer further harm.  You did not have to take our place, yet you did.  We did not understand why.  When the Fifth Attack came, you were injured.  Yet, you did not let us fight alone.  We were told to protect you.  We used our AVE as a shield.  We expected to die.  You saved us.  You told us to smile.  You were happy we still lived.  When you brought us Homework, you cleaned our room.  You did something for us.  You treated us as you do… others…" the Clone trailed off…

Shakey blinked at the wording the Clone used, "Why do you say 'we' & 'us', instead of 'she' & 'her'?"

"Because our memories are the same.  I remember what happened to the Others, as if it were my own personal experience."

Shakey shut up as he thought that over, & the two teenagers sat in pink-faced silence for a while…

'Did she really see me like that?' Shakey was pleasantly embarrassed.  Rave#2 seemed to remember him as being more of a Hero/Nice Guy, than he remembered being himself.  Then there was the fact that despite the errors he knew he'd made in his dealings with Rave, the girl beside him was speaking nicely to him, instead of deriding him as Aesir surely would have.

Rave was also feeling… odd, 'Why do these memories make me… feel… this way?'

"So what will you do now?" Shakey eventually asked.

"I will bear the name of Rave, & live as Rave#2 did."

"NO!"  The intensity of Shakey's exclamation startled both of them, & ended up with Rave looking deep into his eyes again.  Under Rave's mesmerising gaze, Shakey was feeling self-conscious to the point of incoherence, "Uh…  That is…  I mean, you don't… um… HAVE to live like she did…"

"But if I do not live as she did, how shall I live?"

"How you want to live!  Like any other person…"

"But I am not any other person, I am Rave…"

"But you don't have to be…"

A loud knock at the door interrupted Shakey.  It opened to reveal a couple of Security Spooks in dark business suits.  They both had 'Totally Hard' attitudes, despite pushing a meal trolley…

"Visiting Hours Are Over," one of the Security Spooks growled.

Rave stood & bowed to Shakey, "I am sorry.  I must leave."

The Security Spooks stepped aside to let the girl through, then moved back to become a solid wall of business-suited muscle blocking the doorway.

Shakey watched Rave leave, 'She's not the Rave I knew.  But she's 'A' Rave…'

Shakey turned expectantly to the Security Spooks.  They said nothing, they didn't even look at him.  Highly Trained Professional Killers that they were, they went through their duties with slick professionalism, quickly leaving a covered supper dish, & another large insulated plastic beaker of iced fruit juice on the bedside table.  Their duties done, they turned to leave…

"Uh…  Excuse me…" Shakey's voice was meek & uncertain.

The Security Spooks stopped dead in their tracks, & turned to stare at him.

"W-would it be all right… if… I had something to read?" Shakey barely squeaked out his request.

The Security Spooks paused to look questioningly at each other, then turned back to Shakey & asked in perfect unison, "What did you have in mind?"

More than little frightened, but not wanting to die from boredom, Shakey's frazzled mind said the first thing that came to his mind, "I'd like a book on First Aid…  If I could…  Please…"

…Not surprisingly, since he WAS in a Hospital…

"We'll see…" the Security Spooks turned & left the room.

The door closed, leaving Shakey alone with his thoughts…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Reply.

Rave#3 was glad to get home that night, it had been a long, tiring day, & she needed the sleep.  As had been Rave#2's custom, she showered & dressed for bed before having a vegetarian supper, then quickly ran through her assigned schoolwork.  Her usual tasks done, she went to bed.

…Sleep came quickly that night, as did something else.  Strange dreams…

Rave found herself floating in a dark void.  Around her floated strange oval shaped patches of shifting colours.  Looking closer at them, Rave saw they were moving pictures.  She heard sounds & voices.  Soft murmurings without any source.  Then she started receiving impressions.  Memories, feelings, emotions, thoughts, that she knew she'd never had before, & yet, she knew they were hers…

A scene unfolded before her, a multi-faceted mosaic.  Each piece was a separate picture, mostly of the same scene, but seen from different angles.  It was a room full of girls, all blue haired & crimson eyed like herself.  Some stood, some sat, others lay on the floor, while others lay on hospital beds.  Some wore splints & bandages.  Some faces had expressions of pain & suffering…

Many of the pictures suddenly wheeled as if they were a camera being turned, finally locking onto a new scene, that of a familiar woman with long dark hair…

Major Kutsarug?

Call her Mazurka

She talks? New Name?

No We are RAVE!

Numbers?

On clothes

Tasks?

We are many Mazurka is one We help

Hairstyles?

We are many Look same Confuse Mazurka She hurts

Mazurka hurts?

In head You not know? Who are you?

I am Rave

We are all RAVE Your number?

Number?

We are all RAVE Different numbers Who are you?

I am Rave

No number?

I am the Third

The Third!? Pilot Atari!? How is he? Details!

Pilot Atari is in hospital

Hospital!? Concern! Care! For him!

He is safe

Relief!

Who are you?

We are RAVE We are many We have numbers Many numbers

I am Rave I am one I have no number I am the Third

Third is number!

Who are you?

We are you You are we

No I am me Not you

We are all one Different numbers Many bodies We are one

Why are you here?

The Tank broke! We are not in tank! We are RAVE now!

No I am Rave

You are Third RAVE We are Numbers RAVE We are many! We are one!

I am confused

You are confused? We are confused!

I need to sleep

Sleep We will sleep

Shortly thereafter, Rave fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

In the morning, she would remember dreaming.  She would vaguely remember what it was about, but she would not attach any significance to it.

…At least, not just yet…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Release.

Hours after Rave had left Shakey, Glando Atari sat in his office trying to review the videotaped record of the teenagers' conversation.

It wasn't easy.  The image was poor, usually distorted, or else dropping out altogether.  The sound track wasn't much better, with scratchy noises & static hiss often drowning out the tinny, echoing conversation.  Any casual observer would conclude the camera needed servicing or better yet, total replacement.

…They wouldn't know it was how the MOGGY covered up their altered programming…

The arrival of Fu2ok interrupted Glando's silent appraisal of the videotape.

"Well?" asked Glando, turning off the tape.

Fu2ok stifled a yawn before answering, "The Psychiatric evaluation says he has no problems.  Based on how he's acting now, they believe we can release him."

"What of his request for a First Aid Manual?"

"He appears to be using it as some sort of 'self-help' tool.  At least, that's what the report concludes."

"So.  He has decided not to run away this time."

"It appears so."

"Very well.  I'll authorise his release, effective from when he wakes up."

Glando picked up his phone & made a call, "This is me.  I want the Quarantine on the Third Pilot lifted."

Glando paused to listen, "No.  Keep him under heavy surveillance.  Any unusual actions, or attempts to leave the city are to be reported to me immediately."

Another pause, "Yes.  Wait until morning before informing Major Kutsarug."

Glando hung the phone up.

Fu2ok discretely asked, "How did the interrogation go?  Did you find out why Doctor Akatlover tried to destroy the Clones?"

"She was jealous of Rave."

Fu2ok was incredulous, "Are you joking?"

"No."

"We almost lose the Clones, because she was… 'jealous'?  Of Rave?"

"Correct."

Fu2ok took a few moments to digest that.  Despite his best efforts, he still wasn't convinced, "But… WHY… would she be jealous of Rave?"

"It appears she thought 'Rave' was a rival for my affections."

Fu2ok was stunned, "…'A-affections'…??"

Glando elaborated on his previous comment, "From what she said during the interrogation, it was obvious that she was jealous of the 'Parent/Child' relationship I have with Rave."

Fu2ok stared at Glando.

Glando continued, unfazed by Fu2ok's stare, "However, I cannot believe that could be the only causative factor.  For a mind like hers to snap like that, there must be something else…  Some sort of initiator…"

"Well…" Fu2ok spoke slowly, "You DO spend… more time with Rave… than with your own son…"

"Irrelevant," Glando's one word completely dismissed the argument, "I spend less time with him, than I do with many other people…  Yourself for example."

"I mean…" Fu2ok hesitated, "The mere fact that you… spend… so much time together with Rave…"

Now it was Glando's turn to stare at Fu2ok, "Your point being?"

Fu2ok sighed, "As a teacher… I learned that… spending extra time helping a student with their studies… could lead to allegations of… 'favouritism'…"

"I am her Guardian…  I am supposed to spend time with her…"

"Well," Fu2ok took a deep breath before continuing "You & Dr Akatlover did have more than a… 'close'… working relationship…  Maybe she thought… you & Rave…"

A look of surprise flitted over Glando's face as realisation sank in.  It was almost immediately replaced by a look of shocked outrage.

"DON'T BE ABSURD!" Glando thundered.

Fu2ok involuntarily took a step back, away from the force of Glando's reaction.

Glando's next words came like ice-bearing winds, "Professor…  Let me make this perfectly clear to you.  I would NEVER entertain 'those' sort of notions, towards any girl as young as Rave…  I am NOT that sort of man…  There is NOTHING… 'untoward'… in my relationship with her."

Fu2ok stayed silent, although he arched an eyebrow sceptically.

Glando noticed Fu2ok's reaction, "The reason I spend so much time with Rave, is to foster a sense of familiarity, & respect.  I would prefer that Rave see me as a friend, rather than as a stranger.  Or have you forgotten what she really is?  What she may… become?"

"How much did Dr Akatlover really know about Rave?" Fu2ok asked dryly.

"Only what she needed, to do her job!"

"So if she had known the FULL truth," Fu2ok parried, "Would we have this mess?"

Now it was Glando's turn to be silent.

Fu2ok offered, "You have to admit… appearances…"

"Can be deceptive," Glando stated in acid tones.

Fu2ok countered, "Still, if Dr Akatlover thought…"

"She thought wrong…" Glando snapped.

"Atari," Fu2ok continued in a placating voice, "I know, that things can often… appear… to be something other than what they are…"

Glando didn't reply, he just glared at his advisor.

Fu2ok chose his words carefully, "As a teacher myself, I know how… certain situations… can look to people who don't know the full details…  And I also know that people in… positions of power… or influence… will always have detractors…"

"Meaning?"

"If Dr Akatlover jumped to a conclusion…" Fu2ok paused, "…others may as well…"

"Have you heard of any… 'rumours'?" Glando asked in a hard voice.

"No…" Fu2ok admitted uneasily, "But that doesn't mean they don't exist…"

An uneasy silence fell in the office.

"Now you've seen," Glando murmured, "Just how… malicious… how dangerous… a lover can be if they're jealous… or think they've been used… or ill-treated…"

Fu2ok didn't respond verbally, he just inclined his head slightly.

Glando's next words were almost growled out, "Knowing what Rave is… ALREADY… capable of… what she may… BECOME… capable of…  What makes you think I'm STUPID ENOUGH, to indulge in activities that could create THAT type of enmity, between Rave & myself?"

Fu2ok quietly considered what Glando had just said.

"How do you think Rave would react?" Glando demanded, "What do you think she would DO?  If she had Dr Akatlover's current state of mind?"

Fu2ok briefly considered the possibilities before swallowing hard.

"I am NOT suicidal, Professor," Glando forced home his concluding arguments, "NOR am I insane…"

In a weak voice Fu2ok admitted, "I… see your point…"

The admission seemed to calm Glando down, "So did the Committee…  Otherwise they would never have approved the 'Family' relationship I established with her…"

Fu2ok looked worriedly at Glando, "Speaking of which…  I don't think we can stall them any longer…"

"I know," murmured Glando, "I have prepared a report for them.  One that should satisfy them."

"Are you sure?  They'll be out for blood this time…"

"Perhaps," the smirk that appeared on Glando's face seemed strangely out of place, "But there have been… unexpected developments.  Ones that the Committee cannot afford to ignore."

"What are you talking about?" Fu2ok stared at Glando in apprehension, "What unexpected developments?  What else has gone wrong?"

Glando pressed buttons on the monitor on his desk, & a different tape began to play.  He gestured towards the monitor, "Observe.  I will explain afterwards…"

Fu2ok leaned forward, watching intently as the scene on the monitor unfolded…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 2 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Reactions.

Thirty seconds later inside the elevator, Glando suddenly punched his fist into the wall.  His face was a mask of rage, & his body trembled.  He froze in position, his body at an angle as he supported his weight on the fist against the wall.  He stayed like that for several seconds, breathing deeply, willing himself back under control.

'Damn,' Glando thought, 'I finally get a scene in which I can be a Totally Hard Core Man of Mystery, & I nearly blow it by forgetting to push the Floor Button…'

The Fan Fiction Writer shook his head, it was sad when a major character started losing the plot like this…

"HEY!" Glando yelled at the Fan Fiction Writer, "What do you mean I'M losing it?  YOU'RE the stupid no-talent B-----D writing this boring piece of C--P, not me!"

The Fan Fiction writer Blushed Bashfully, on hearing such delicate words of silver-tongued flattery…

**TWANG** went the elevator cables as they snapped.

       *A*

       *A*

       *I*

       *I*

       *I*

       *E*

       *E*

       *E*

       *E*

**SPLATTO** went Glando, as the elevator emergency brakes MYSTERIOUSLY failed.

The Fan Fiction writer wasn't worried about killing off such a major character so soon in the story…  Well, not since he'd done the 'Doppelgangers' OMAKE…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Review.

"Commander…"

"Yes?"

"Pilot Atari may… know… about me and the Others…"

"What makes you think that?"

"When I arrived, he asked me not to die anymore…"

Glando was silent for several moments as he pondered the ramifications of this.  Eventually, he turned to Rave, his head tilting so the lights reflected off his glasses in a Sinister Manner.

"Then he knows Too Much…" Glando insinuated with Cryptic Malevolence, "You KNOW what we must do NOW…"

"Yes, Sir," said Rave, hoisting Shakey onto her shoulder, & starting to walk off with him, "I'll take care of it."

Glando stalked into the Lab.  He was well into his 'Evil-B-----D-In-Charge-Intimidating-the-Cringing-Underlings' routine, when his cell phone went off.

"Yes?" Glando snapped, angry at being interrupted in the middle of a big scene.

"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice on the other end of the line, "Rave's gone NUTS!  She just wiped out 3 Combat Squads, & abducted Shakey Atari in a stolen VTOL fighter Jet!"

"WHAT?!" yelled Glando, realising the Fan Fiction writer had deliberately screwed up his big scene, **AGAIN**.

Several hours later, & a few thousand miles away, Shakey Atari finally woke up…

Shakey blinked, not recognising his surroundings.  Not surprising really, as he was on the beach of a lushly forested tropical island paradise.  He tried to remember how he'd come to be HERE of all places but failed.  A sound of someone crying made him look around.  Nearby, he saw Rave, sobbing her little heart out.

"Rave?" he asked, alarmed at the girls distraught emotional state.

"Oh Shakey!" she turned her tear filled gaze on him, before hiding her face against his chest, "I'm so scared!  Please Hold Me!  Hold Me Tight!"

Shakey cradled the weeping girl in his arms, trying to comfort her with gentle words, & a caring attitude.

'Heh!  Heh!' thought Rave, thoroughly enjoying the situation, 'Like Putty in my hands…'

Shakey never did remember what had happened.  It probably had something to do with the 'memory wipe' drug Rave had given him on the way to the island.

Glando had intended for Rave to take Shakey to the Hospital, where Shakey would be given the 'memory wipe' drug to make him forget what he'd seen.

Rave though, had seen an opportunity TOO GOOD to miss!  She told Shakey that Third Strike had happened, & that they were the last two people left alive on earth.  Shakey accepted it.

A couple of weeks after they arrived at the Island, Rave surprised Shakey by suddenly grabbing him, & kissing him passionately…

It wasn't just the fact that 'shy' Rave was kissing him, that surprised Shakey.  It was how the world around him trembled, & lights flashed in his vision.

'Now **THAT'S** a kiss!' thought Shakey when Rave finally released him.

Shakey never knew that the real Third Strike had caused what he'd felt…

Despite being the last two people left on the planet, it still took Shakey *7* years to grow enough 'spine' to ask Rave out on a date, & get a second kiss…

For many decades, this odd couple led a happy, peaceful existence on the island.

Shakey Atari, the Amazing Human Invertebrate, & Rave Imanonymous#3, the Creature from the Blue Lagoon…

NOTE!  Hey!  If Anno-Sama can have a 'Kaoru of the Seashore'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Restrictions.

Some time later in Glando's office, Fu2ok sat in a chair & waited patiently while Glando finished an important phone call…

"…that's right," Glando confirmed his orders, "I want the pilot of Unit Won kept in Secured Medical Isolation until further notice.  He is not to have visitors without my authorisation, & he is not allowed to make any phone calls.  He may send & receive written messages, but only those I personally authorise are to be allowed through.  Is that clear?"

Glando paused briefly.

"Good.  That is all," Glando hung up the phone.

Fu2ok's words showed his distaste as he glanced accusingly at Glando, "Is it really necessary to lock him up like that?"

"After what Rave did in the last OMAKE, I'm **NOT** taking any chances!" Glando growled belligerently in reply, "I believe it is best to keep him secured, until we can be sure."

…Then the emergency phone rang…

Glando began to sweat.  Then he gingerly picked it up.

"Hello?" Glando hesitantly asked.

"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice on the other end of the line, "Rave's gone NUTS!  She just demolished half the Hospital, wiped out 3 Combat Squads, & abducted Shakey Atari in a stolen VTOL fighter Jet!"

"S--T!" screamed Glando, realising the Fan Fiction writer OBVIOUSLY had it in for him…  And was a 'Rave Fan' to boot…

Several hours later, & a few thousand miles away, Shakey Atari finally woke up…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Rejection.

Rave nodded slightly, then turned & silently left.  She paused on her way out to take the meal trolley with her, as well as the food it contained.

In his office, Glando watched the scene on a small monitor on his desk, along with his advisor Fu2ok.

"Rave," as always, Glando sounded calm & composed, "We will try again at lunchtime…  Stay in the Hospital, we may need you before then."

In the Hospital, Rave heard Glando on the earphone hidden in her hair.

"Yes, Sir…" Rave looked directly at the lens of a Security camera in the hall she was in, her eyes appearing to stare at Glando from his desktop monitor.

"Make sure you eat.  That is all…" Glando cut the connection.

Rave lifted the lid on the breakfast trolley, revealing an extra large bowl of porridge, along with sugar bowl, wheat germ flakes, milk, & honey.

"Mmmmm!  Porridge!" Rave drooled hungrily at the healthy sight.  'It would be a shame to waste such good food' she thought, before scarfing the lot of it.

…Glando's emergency phone rang…

Glando began to sweat & tremble nervously.  He hesitantly picked it up.

"h-hello?"  Glando barely croaked, dreading the inevitable answer.

"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice on the other end of the line, "Rave's gone NUTS!  She just wiped out the reforestation project!"

"What?!" asked Glando, mildly relieved to hear Shakey wasn't involved THIS time.

"She said she was looking for the home of the Three Bears.  She said she wanted to 'get some more of that Groovy porridge, Baby'…"

Glando turned pale as the Fan Fiction writer reminded him of several facts…

1 - Rave was a vegetarian.

2 - They served porridge for breakfast in the hospital.

3 - Shakey's food was laced with psychiatric medicine, as per Glando's order.

4 - Glando told Rave to make sure she ate something.

5 - Glando never told Rave NOT to eat Shakey's porridge…

6 - Rave had never been tested for 'adverse reactions' to Shakey's medicine.

The whimpering underling on the phone spoke up, attracting Glando's attention, "Sir!  Sir!  There's more!"

"MORE?!" Glando exclaimed in shocked surprise.

"When she couldn't find the home of the Three Bears, she said she'd 'just have to visit Poppa Bears Workplace instead'…"

Glando dropped the phone & ran like H--L.

BONUS Weirdness - Rave, armed with a chainsaw in one hand, & an axe in the other, chases Glando while she sings the "Lumber Jack Song" from 'Monty Python'…

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OMAKE - Ruse.

Glando sat back in his chair & sighed, "Years ago, I gave the Second Rave a choice of where she wanted to live.  A simple act on my part of providing 'Social Empowerment' for her.  Although she had a choice of modern housing, she still chose to live where she now is…"

Glando's attempt to paint himself as a 'Sensitive New Age Guy-In-Charge' was more than Mazurka could take.  Without warning, she projectile vomited explosively, dousing Glando with 3 gallons of semi-digested beer, & unidentifiable instant meals.

Glando didn't flinch.  This was HIS scene, & he'd be D----D if he let that Fan Fiction writer spoil it for him *THIS* time…

"I didn't ask for your personal opinion, Major," Glando coolly stated, as bits of noodle slid down the lenses of his glasses.

Having nerves of steel, Glando conducted the rest of the interview as per the main story, his soggy condition not affecting his performance in the slightest.

Although, Glando DID make three extra phone calls, one to a dry cleaning firm, one to a carpet cleaning agency, & the last one…

"ANNO-SAMA!" whined Glando, "He's being mean to me!"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Raves.

Mazurka addressed the group again, "As there is a girl using the name of Rave Imanonymous, you CAN'T use that name.  You'll have to use a different name."

The Clones looked uneasy.

"Does this cause you concern?" Mazurka feared the reply.

The Clones didn't answer, but their feelings certainly showed on their faces.

The Clones didn't mind taking a new name, provided it was an acceptable one, but they couldn't ALL be called "Mrs Shakey Atari", or "The Clone formerly known as Rave", or even "Japan's answer to Elle Macpherson".

But, how did they tell Mazurka that?

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Raffle.

Mazurka held a hand up in front of herself, the forefinger extended from an otherwise closed fist for emphasis, "I want each of you to take ONE numbered card from the handbag, & ONE I.D. Card holder from the plastic bag!  I want you to put the numbered bit of paper into the I.D. Card holder, & pin it to your hospital gowns…"

A Clone spoke up, "What are the prizes?"

"Huh?" said Mazurka, obviously puzzled.

"This is for a 'Lucky Door Prize', isn't it?"

"Err…" the comment flustered Mazurka, "Actually…  There's no prize…"

"Awwwww…" the Clones sighed, their hopeful faces falling…

Mazurka saw the despondent look on the Clones faces, "However, I'm sure we can arrange something.  What would you like?"

"A week with Pilot Atari on a Deserted Island!" the Clones all chorused.

"Err…" Mazurka sweat dropped, "That's a little out of our budget…  How about having a dinner at my place with him instead?"

"Are you cooking?" the Clones looked suspiciously at Mazurka.

"No!"  Mazurka loudly exclaimed, seeing the looks on the faces of the Clones, "We'll order in!  I SWEAR!!"

"DEAL!" the Clones shouted in unison.

'Phew!' thought Mazurka, 'We were THAT close to being one of 'those' OMAKE's.'  She sighed in relief, once again, her Sheer Tactical Brilliance had proven itself under fire…

In his Office, Glando Atari suddenly shivered nervously.  He glared suspiciously at his emergency phone, which mocked him with its silence.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Recovery.

"Very well then," Rave averted her gaze from Shakey & wheeled the trolley up against the wall beside the door.  Taking the single chair in the room, she sat down next to the trolley.  After looking at the floor for a short while she said, "Do not be afraid of me, Pilot Atari.  I mean you no harm."

After that, Rave seemed to ignore Shakey completely.  She sat quietly & didn't even look in Shakey's general direction.  After a few minutes of statuesque imitation, she took a small book from her skirt pocket, & began to read.

Shakey lay back in bed, & pulled his sheet up over his head.  He had tried to read the title on Rave's book out of idle curiosity, as it appeared to be the one Rave often read whenever she had nothing else to do.  However, he was unable to make out the title on the book, not because Rave was too far away, but because the title was written in English.

The Fan Fiction writer decided to solve one of the Great Mysteries of the show.

The books title was something like "Desert Island Duet - A searing novel of Passionate Romance in the Tropics!"  Printed by 'Pot Boiler Publishing', the contents went something like this…

"Oh Rod"' she turned her tear filled gaze upon him, before hiding her face against his muscled chest, "I'm so scared!  Please Hold Me!  Hold Me Tight!"

Rod Walloper, handsome stud muffin Test pilot, cradled her Manfully in his arms, trying to comfort her with gentle words & his gruff, yet caring Macho attitude.  His dimpled jaw clenched resolutely as he contemplated their possible fate, now that they were castaways, marooned together on a remote deserted island.  As she was a pampered Billionaire Heiress, & was so tender & delicate, she would need a Real Man to care for her in a place like this.

'Good thing,' thought Rod, 'That I'm MORE than Man enough for BOTH of us…'

…Well, at least it explained the earlier OMAKE's, & why Rave blushed slightly whenever she sneaked a peek in Shakey's direction…

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OMAKE - Rapport.

In a locked Hospital room, Rave#3 & Shakey were finally talking with each other.  It had taken hours, but the physical proximity, & the perceived similarity of Rave#3 to Rave#2, had finally broken the ice within the boy's heart.  Now the pair were conversing with each other, if not as friends, than at least politely.

Shakey was talking to Rave because he was emotionally vulnerable & needed to talk to someone after what he'd been through.  As they conversed, he began to open up, in a way he'd hardly ever done with anyone.  Apart from 'his' Rave…

Rave noticed this, & did her best to be a shoulder for him to cry on.  She knew that doing so would help Shakey deal with the situation, & show him that others cared for him.

…That & the fact it would create strong bonds of friendship between the two of them, & diminish any hold Aesir had on his heart…

'Heh!  Heh!' thought Rave, 'He'll be like putty in my hands!'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Reply.

We are RAVE We are many We have numbers Many numbers

I am Rave I am one I have no number I am the Third

We Are RAVE! You Will Be Assimilated! Resistance Is Futile!

You are incorrect

??? How so?

Aesir wears the Red outfit That means SHE'S the 'Red Shirt' around here!

OH!

Elsewhere, in another dream…

'Oh Cagey!  Liebchen!  Of course, I'll Marry You!  I'm so Happy you asked me…'

We Are RAVE! You Will Be Assimilated! Resistance Is Futile!

'WHAT?  Who the…  YOU!?  Assimilate THIS, Wonder-Chick!'

**BIFF**  **POW**  **CLAW**  **THUG**  **BASH**  **BITE**  **WALLOP**

A battle royal followed…

Meanwhile, Shakey Atari was dreaming he was a castaway on a Deserted Island…  A sound of someone crying made him look around.  Nearby, he saw Rave, sobbing her little heart out.

"Rave?" he asked, alarmed at the girls distraught emotional state.

"Oh Shakey!" she turned her tear filled gaze on him, before hiding her face against his chest, "I'm so scared!  Please Hold Me!  Hold Me Tight!"

Shakey cradled the weeping girl in his arms, trying to comfort her with gentle words, & a caring attitude.

'Heh!  Heh!' thought Rave, thoroughly enjoying the situation, 'While the Others take care of Aesir, I'll keep an eye on Shakey…'

NOTE #1 The 'Red Shirt' refers to the extras in Star Trek, who wore Red Shirts, & who died in the only episode they appeared…  It inspired the popular term 'The Curse of Roddenberry' & a book, 'Never Beam Down While Wearing A Red Shirt'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Release.

Fu2ok stifled a yawn before answering, "The Psychiatric evaluation says he has no problems.  Based on how he's acting now, they believe we can release him."

"What of his request for a First Aid Manual?"

"He appears to be using it as some sort of 'self-help' tool.  Only natural, considering how often Aesir beats the living C--P out of him…"

"And the Quacks in the Psychiatric Department say he DOESN'T have any problems?" Glando acidly retorted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	4. 03 Confrontations

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 03 "Confrontations"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Breathless.

Hospitals have a time when all patients are supposed to go to sleep.  Commonly referred to as 'Lights Out', it only really applied to Public Wards, & not to Private Rooms.  So, although it was well after midnight, Shakey Atari was still awake, & trying to read a book by the light of the built-in lamp on his bed.

Shakey had asked the Security Spooks who brought him supper, if he could have a book to read.  When they came later to clear away the supper dishes, they left another pitcher of fruit juice & some sandwiches, along with a book.

The book's title was "First Aid - An authorised manual of St John Ambulance".  Designed to help everyday people learn 'First Aid', all of the lessons were written in clear-cut 'non-technical' or 'everyday' language.  Any of the unavoidable 'technical terms' were fully explained, often by way of one of the many informative colour pictures & diagrams.

Shakey became fully engrossed in the book soon after getting it, & over the last few hours he had literally been reading it page by page, from cover to cover.

Shakey yawned without warning, a great jaw-cracker that screwed his eyes shut.  It was getting harder & harder to keep reading, his eyelids kept slipping shut over dry & blurry eyes, & his head kept slumping forward.  The time he spent 'nodding off' was increasing…

"…finish chapter… then sleep…" just as had for the last few chapters, Shakey repeated his Master Plan in a voice distorted by fatigue…

…He didn't make it…

The next time Shakey 'nodded off', he didn't snap back to semi-wakefulness, but quickly sank into the restful darkness of a deep sleep, courtesy of the long tiring day he'd just had, & the sedatives hidden in his food.

The First Aid book slipped from limp fingers.  It lay forgotten on the sheets, until a movement by the sleeper knocked it off the bed…

- - - - - - - - - -

Morning was a grey muzziness, a gradual rebooting of a consciousness shrugging off the effects of a drugged sleep…

…And punctuated along the way by someone calling Shakey's name…

Shakey opened his bleary eyes, trying to focus as he wiped away sleep.  A blue/white blur above him focused into the placid face of Rave Imanonymous.

Rave stood near Shakey's bed, armed with another meal trolley & a covered meal tray, one that obviously contained breakfast.

"…'Morning Rave…" Shakey's greeting came from a face still not quite awake.

"Good Morning, Pilot Atari.  Are you studying First Aid?"

"…huh?" Shakey noticed the book in Rave's hand, "Yeah… guess I am…"

"Why?"

"Uh…" Shakey felt uneasy, he hung his head in shame, 'How can I tell her it's so no-one else will die because of me?'

"It was not your fault."

The surprising words made Shakey look at Rave.  All he saw was honesty in her face, no trace of guile or malice.  He wanted to believe her, but it still felt like a comfortable cop-out to him.

"E.A.R. would not have saved her," Rave stated.

Shakey blinked, "E.A.R.?"

"Expired Air Resuscitation," Rave explained the acronym, then elaborated "The procedure where a person providing First Aid, uses the air they expire from their own lungs, to fill the lungs of another & help them breathe."

"Oh…" Shakey had read that chapter a couple of times last night, thinking that if he'd only known about it at the time, "But…  If I'd tried…  She might've…"

"No…" the word had a finality in it that brooked no argument, "It would not have helped her.  Her lungs were too badly damaged.  Such an attempt would only waste resources that could be used to save another."

Shakey was aghast at Rave's callous comment, "H-How can you say that?"

"Because I have been trained.  Here, let me show you."

With that, Rave took Shakey by the shoulders, & rolled him flat on his back.

"Uh!  Rave!  What are you doing?!" a vague dread seized Shakey, compelling him to try to escape Rave's grasp.

"Giving you a lesson in E.A.R.," despite Shakey's best efforts, Rave retained her grip on him, "I will demonstrate it, & show you why it would not have worked."

"Uh… But!" Shakey tried to argue his way out of things, unfortunately, he wasn't the sort of person who could have made the School Debating Team, even if he had tried out for it…

"Are you still afraid of me?"

"Uh…  No!  But…"

"Then lie still.  This will not hurt."  Rave tilted Shakey's head & jaw into the final positions, took a deeper than normal breath, & lowered her lips to his…

Shakey felt Rave's fingers pinch his nose shut, a much gentler grip than what Aesir had used the one time she'd kissed him.  Rave's lips closed around Shakey's open mouth, sealing it off from the outside world.  Shakey blushed deeply, this wasn't a kiss, but it was as close to one as he'd ever had!  A soft current of warm air began to flow into Shakey's mouth & down his throat.  As the air left Rave's lungs & entered Shakey's, his stomach began to rise as his filling lungs distended his diaphragm.  Rave kept her seal around Shakey's lips for a few seconds then released it.  The air sighed out of Shakey's mouth.

'So,' thought a very red-faced Shakey, 'That's the 'breath of life'…'

Unable to look at Rave, Shakey still heard her soft voice, "The air I breathed into your lungs was contained by them, & air pressure built up.  This allowed the alveoli, the small air sacs in your lungs, to exchange Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide.  It would not have worked with her.  As I will now demonstrate."

Shakey had barely registered what Rave just said, when he felt her lips on his as she breathed once more for him.  This time, she pressed her spare hand firmly against his upper stomach area.  He could feel a difference.  The first time, air had gone down into his lungs, causing them to expand as they filled with air.  This time, his lungs couldn't expand due to the pressure on his diaphragm, & there was a noticeable 'lack of satisfaction' from what air did go into his lungs.

Breaking the seal a second time, Rave said, "As your lungs could not receive the air, they could not function properly.  Her lungs were too badly damaged to contain any 'breath of life' anyone could have given her.  Oxygen exchange would not be possible.  You could not have saved her."

Tears glistened in Shakey's eyes as the bitter truth behind Rave's words sank in.  The comment Shakey was about to make was interrupted by someone coughing.  He looked up, only to see Mazurka in the open doorway, an EVIL GRIN on her face.

"M-Muh-Zurka!" having been being tomato red with embarrassment, Shakey's face ended up being a uniform pink as he paled with fear…

Glad you're feeling better!" Mazurka's happy chirp was accompanied by the sort of grin that Great White Sharks have before a feeding frenzy…

"…eep!" Shakey squeaked in horror, knowing that, 'I'm **DEAD MEAT**!!'

"I wasn't… interrupting anything… was I?" Mazurka might have said the words in a normal toned voice, but her eyebrows were arching OH-so suggestively.

"No, Major Kutsarug," Rave, as always, was calm & matter-of-fact about things, "I had finished demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation to Pilot Atari."

"Is THAT what they call it nowadays?" Mazurka's insinuation wasn't what anyone could call subtle…

Rave calmly held up the First Aid book, "Pilot Atari is learning First Aid."

"Whatever," to Shakey's VAST Relief, Mazurka changed the topic to one more to his liking, "I'm here to inform Shakey that his 'observation' period is officially over, & that he can leave.  My car's downstairs, so grab your gear, & let's get out of here!"

"That's Great!"  Shakey was MOST enthusiastic about getting out of the Hospital room, especially if it presented topics for conversation other than what Mazurka could have talked about, "I'll finish breakfast & get changed…"

Before anyone could say another word, Shakey grabbed a spoon, & lifted the cover on the meal tray.  Revealed in all its unappetising glory, was a plateful of the concrete grey, lumpy textured sludge that the Hospital alleged was porridge…

Shakey didn't hesitate.  He hoed into it with gusto, sucking the bland tasting swill down as if his life depended on it…

…Which in THIS particular scenario, was entirely possible…

'…If Mazurka came to pick me up,' Shakey rationalised, 'She must be concerned about me.  In which case she may try to 'make things easier for me' at home, & relieve me of some of the household duties… such as doing all of the cooking by herself…'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Conversations.

Since Mazurka had come to take Shakey home, Rave turned to leave, "I will see you later, Pilot Atari."

"Wait up Rave," Mazurka tapped the girl on the shoulder as Rave passed through the doorway, "I'd like to talk to you outside for a minute."

Out in the corridor, Mazurka took a moment to look thoughtfully at the young woman before her, 'If I didn't know the truth…  I'd swear you were her…'

Mazurka leaned closer & lowered her voice, "I heard about how you came & saw Shakey.  I'd like to thank you."

"What for?"

A playful, teasing note crept into Mazurka's voice, "For being there, when he needed someone."

Two beeps sounded in Rave's hidden earpiece, a coded advisory that she could answer the question in full.  When Glando used the MOGGY Supercomputers to monitor Rave's conversation with Shakey, one of Ritzy's subversive 'sleeper' programs had activated.  When Glando requested the MOGGY return to 'normal' duties, the sleeper program continued to operate…  Unknown to anyone…

Rave's reply was a truthful, "I was following orders."

Mazurka looked at Rave, evaluating the comment for far longer than was necessary, 'Ritzy said they were Biological computers that could be programmed to act like Humans…  Were you running a 'program' in there 'Rave'?  Whose?  And what was the purpose of it?'

Mazurka decided to try & find out…

"…Were you following orders this morning when you kissed him?" the playful teasing note was still there, but it had turned into the sort of playful teasing note that carried a gun, & was deadly serious about being able to use it…

"It was not a kiss.  I was demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation…"

"Were you ordered to do that?" Mazurka persisted with her 'friendly' interrogation, scrutinising Rave's face for any sign of dishonesty or duplicity.

"No."

"Were you ordered to be here at all this morning?"

"No."

"So you did both of your own free will?"

Rave hesitated slightly, "Yes."

Mazurka relaxed & smiled warmly, her words matching her thoughts, "So, you really were just being his friend!"

Rave pinked slightly, "I… do not know…"

Mazurka tensed slightly, "Know what?"

"If we are friends…"

'She doesn't… know?' Mazurka's jaw dropped slightly at the implications, 'Wasn't she 'programmed' with that sort of information?'

Mazurka suddenly realised how & what she was thinking, 'Damn it all Ritzy!!  You & Aesir have got me thinking of Rave as some sort of glorified 'Tamagotchi' electronic pet!  She's not!  She's just a girl with a… a… sheltered upbringing…'

Recent events had weighed heavily on Mazurka, as did her new duties as Guardian of *ALL* of the Clones, 'Well, I'll just SEE about that!'

"Well I DO!" Mazurka firmly informed Rave, "From what I've seen today, I'd say Shakey thinks of you as a friend."

"He does?"

Mazurka put a hand on Rave's shoulder, "You may not have noticed, as he's so shy & withdrawn.  You remember how he was around your 'sister', don't you?"

Rave blinked, "Sister?"

"Uh…" Mazurka sweat-dropped, "If that's not the right term, I'm sorry.  But I can't help but think of all of you Clones as being 'identical twin' sisters…"

"Sisters…" Rave whispered the unfamiliar term.

"Rave," Mazurka was suddenly very serious, but not in a potentially lethal way, "I just want you to know…  The… other Rave… was welcome in my home.  Do you… 'remember' that?"

"Yes."

"I…" Mazurka paused, "I want you to know… you… will also be welcome in my home.  As will your sisters, should they choose to come & visit."

Rave didn't reply.

"I don't think Shakey would mind having you around either," Mazurka slyly added.

"Why do you think that?"

Mazurka had to smile, "The 'E.A.R.' you performed on him this morning.  That's something he wouldn't allow just anyone to do to him…"

"But he protested when I tried it?"

Mazurka's smile turned into a toothy grin, "Of course he did!  He's shy!"

Rave pondered this.

"Rave?  You should know, Shakey is having problems dealing with recent events.  He needs help from people who… he knows he can trust…  People who know about the things he's been through…  People like us…  I can't be with him all of the time, but since you're his classmate, could you help him?  Whenever you're with him?"

"Is that an order, Major Kutsarug?"

Mazurka paused, "No, not an order…  Just a request, from someone who doesn't want to see either of you get hurt.  If you want to come over to my place at anytime, or want to talk about anything, feel free.  Call us first though, to make sure someone will be there…  Please?"

"Yes," was all Rave was able to say.

"Then I'll see you round," Mazurka then did something she'd never done before.  She gave Rave a Bear hug & whispered, "And DON'T call me Major Kutsarug unless we're on duty!  Off duty or alone, just plain Mazurka is fine…"

Mazurka released the girl & returned to the Hospital room.  Rave stood in the corridor, her cheeks a delicate shade of pink.  Rave slowly turned, & walked off into her usual routine…

- - - - - - - - - -

In Shakey's hospital room, Mazurka sat on the bed as she waited for Shakey to finish dressing in the ensuite.  She stared off into the distance, lost somewhere in her own thoughts until jolted back to reality by the noise of the ensuite door opening.

"Shakey?" Mazurka solemnly indicated the bed she was siting on, her voice & attitude uncommonly serious, "Sit down, we have to talk…"

Shakey sat on the bed & clasped his hands together in his lap.

Mazurka patted him reassuringly on the shoulder, before saying, "You know that if you need someone to talk to about this, or anything else, I'm willing to listen…"

"Yeah…" Shakey sighed, & suddenly felt very self-conscious, "I know…"

"I mean it," Mazurka insisted, "Losing… someone close to you is bad enough.  Let alone having the rest of this situation…"

"I…" Shakey swallowed hard, he needed to talk, but he wasn't sure how to say what he needed to say, "…Rave…  I don't… know how I should feel… about her… about… them…"

"Tell me about it!" Mazurka grimaced at the memory of the dead Clone in the Hospital ward, "I know you tried to be a friend to… the other Rave…  But she's gone now…  You'll feel a need to grieve for her…  Do it!  Don't bottle your emotions up like I did when…"

"Mazurka?" Shakey noticed the abrupt silence beside him.

Mazurka knew she'd said too much to stop, so she slowly answered, "It was a long time ago…  Something from Second Strike…  I didn't want to deal with it… so I… retreated… inside myself…" she paused then continued, "People need to grieve…  I know…  I've been there myself.  If a person doesn't grieve, if they don't… let go of the memories…" she trailed off.

Shakey looked at Mazurka & was surprised to see tears on her cheeks, "Are YOU okay Mazurka?"

"I miss her," Mazurka thought of the girl that died, the one she knew, & the others she didn't…

Shakey suddenly found his own eyes misting over, "Yeah… so do I…"

Mazurka put her arms around Shakey & hugged him.  A simple act, but one that gave comfort to both of them.  They stayed that way for a while.

Mazurka sighed deeply, "The next few days will be hard on both of us.  I don't know about you, but I'll be feeling the strain…"

"Don't worry," Shakey reassured her, "I won't run away, or do anything stupid…"

"I'm glad to hear that," Mazurka broke the hug & gently ruffled Shakey's hair, "I was worried about you, you know.  I wanted to come & see you, but the Commander put you under quarantine."

"Quarantine?"

"Yes, he said he was worried about you.  He didn't want you to get any worse."

Shakey scowled, hardly believing it, "My Father said that?"

"Mm-Hmm!" Mazurka nodded, "Say…  While we're here, would you like to see how Aesir's doing?"

"Sure!"  Shakey hadn't been able to visit Aesir as often as he wanted.  AVE Pilot Tests, school timetables, every little thing had eaten into his time.

Mazurka smiled as she led the way, "Only for a short time though…"

It was a quick trip to Aesir's room.  Inside, the two stood at her bedside, looking down at the comatose girl.

'She looks so peaceful…' Shakey only saw a relaxed body free of pain, not the subtle changes that accompanied a lengthy bout of unconsciousness, 'Just like she's sleeping…'

"The doctors don't know when she'll come out of it," Mazurka whispered, despite the fact that Aesir couldn't hear her, "They've got orders to contact me when she does…"

They stood & watched silently for several more minutes…

"Hey Shakey?" Mazurka asked him once they were outside Aesir's room, "What say we visit the Girls?"

"Girls?"

"Rave's… 'sisters'," Mazurka hesitantly gave her opinion of who they were.

Shakey suddenly looked worried, 'The Clones that got hurt…  Mazurka doesn't know how they looked at me…  'Rave' doesn't seem to blame me, but she wasn't there…'

Mazurka noted Shakey's distress, "I'm sure they'd enjoy a visit from you…"

"Do I have to go?" Shakey almost whined.

"No, but I think you should see them."

Shakey didn't seem convinced.

"Shakey, I won't order you to go.  However, if you go just this once, & don't like it, I won't ask you to go again…  Deal?"

Shakey was unwavering in his opinion that the Clones wouldn't appreciate seeing him, but he slowly nodded nonetheless, 'At least this way, Mazurka will see their reaction with her own eyes…  Then she'll understand…'

Shakey Atari went to visit the Injured Clones, like a condemned man walking to the Execution Chamber…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Visitors.

The injured Clones were housed a fair distance away in another wing of the Hospital complex.  Even the straightest route had to meander its way through several of the covered walkways that connected the various buildings.

Little more than tubes of glass & painted concrete, the lower walkways received subtle perfumes from the flowering gardens in the Hospital grounds, while the upper walkways gave stunning views from behind their safety grilles.  Both diversions were welcome things to patient & visitor alike, & especially to those workers who had to frequent the air-conditioned complex.

The fresh air & greenery didn't do much for Shakey.  This was partly due to the grey clouds that were filling the sky, obscuring all but a few patches of blue.

'With my luck, it'll probably start raining…' Shakey thought morosely.

The Clones were kept under armed guard, requiring Mazurka to stop & produce Identification at a checkpoint before she & Shakey could enter the 'restricted' ward where the Clones were.

Shakey took advantage of the delays to try & psych himself up, trying to overcome his feelings of guilt, fear, & remorse.  His medication helped him in his intention to stride in there with head held high, & take whatever scornful response the Clones would throw at him.

'I took abuse from Toe-Jam, & I've taken abuse from Aesir…  I can DO this!' Shakey decided while in the grip of one such chemically-enabled 'Macho Mood'. 

Mazurka shattered Shakey's 'Macho Mood', by suddenly dragging him into the room, & almost shouting, "Hey Girls!  I've got a little surprise for You!  Look who's come to visit!"

All through the ward, heads swivelled in their direction.  Dozens of red eyes locked on them.

'Here it comes…  Now you'll see,' Shakey gulped nervously.  The reality of his surroundings prompted him to fear the worst, & prepare to make a quick exit.

…Then the pale faces attached to those crimson eyes began to smile…

"Hello Pilot Atari," all the Clones softly chorused an unmistakeable welcome.

Mazurka whispered in Shakey's ear, "See?  I TOLD you they'd enjoy a visit from you!"

Shakey blinked in surprise.

"Uh…  H-Hi!" Shakey stammered while giving a feeble wave.  He was stunned at the thought that the Clones might actually NOT harbour feelings of resentment towards him…

"Now Shakey!" Mazurka admonished with a slight frown, "I'm sure a GENTLEMAN can introduce himself better than that…"

Shakey's self-consciousness grew, 'Mazurka's right.  This is a chance to make a better impression than I did when I first met them…'

Shakey went to the nearest Clone, trying to ignore how the gazes of the other Clones tracked his movements.  Although nervous, he politely introduced himself, "Good Morning Miss!  My Name is Shakey Atari, & I'm Pleased To Meet You!"

"Good Morning Pilot Atari," the Clone politely replied, "I am Rave Imanonymous, & I am pleased to meet you as well."

"Uh…" Shakey was having difficulties…

"Now Girls!" Mazurka sternly intoned, "What did we decide about names?"

The Clone looked slightly taken aback, "I am sorry.  I meant to say, I am Rave Imanonymous, the Hundred-and-first."

"Hundred and… first?"  Shakey was once again, having difficulties…

Mazurka put her hand on Shakey's shoulder & gently squeezed.  It was a gesture meant to get his attention, & reassure him.  "Yes.  All of the Clones think they are Rave.  I assigned numbers to help keep things understandable."

"I… see…" Shakey realised the significance of the number pinned to the Clone's hospital gown, "How Should I Address You Miss?  What Name Would You Prefer I Call You?"

"Please call me 'Rave, One-Oh-One', Pilot Atari," Rave Clone #101 replied.

Shakey began to relax, "Then please call me Shakey, Pilot Atari is too formal…"

"Yes…  Shakey," the Clone smiled at the invitation to use Shakey's personal name.

'She looks exactly the same…' Shakey looked at the Clone before him, comparing her to Rave#3, & Rave#2.  He stared into her crimson eyes, 'Is she the same person inside as well?'

The Clone stared back, with the same placid intensity Rave had often used on him.  They stayed like that, staring deeply into each other's eyes…

"Ahem!" Mazurka discretely interrupted the friendly staring match, "There'll be plenty of time to come & visit later, but for now, there's other people WAITING…"

"Uh… right," Shakey blushed as he shook off his introspective mood.  He went around to all of the other Clones, introducing himself in similar fashion, & politely asking them how they would like him to address them.  Soon, he was on a 'first name basis' with all of them, & had their permission to use their numbers in return.

Mazurka felt relieved as she saw how well Shakey & the Clones were getting along, 'Huh…  I guess he must be over the worst of it…'

After breaking the ice, Shakey had a short chat with the Clones, & in the process, gave Mazurka a few surprises…

"I know you all think you're 'Rave' because of the memory downloads," Shakey addressed the room as a whole, turning his head so he didn't seem to talk to any one girl in particular, "But have you thought of taking other names?"

Mazurka shot a slightly worried look at Shakey, 'Where did he hear about the memory downloads?'

A Clone spoke up, "We only know how to be Rave.  If we are not Rave, what will we be?"  Others nodded their agreement.

"Yourselves," Shakey replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "Individuals.  People like everyone else…"

Another Clone spoke up, "But we are not people like everyone else, we are Rave."

Shakey sighed at the comment, "No one IS 'people like everyone else'…  Everyone is different, you're just more… different… to others, than most others are…"

"Ahem!" Mazurka hated to interrupt the conversation, interesting though she found it, "I'm sorry Ladies, but Shakey & I have to leave you.  I'll be back later to check on things…"

After leaving the Clones, Mazurka drove Shakey home.

"So," Mazurka said when they were out on a highway, "Did you enjoy seeing them?"

Shakey just nodded, a happy little smile on his face.

"That's good," Mazurka also smiled, "I think they enjoyed seeing you too…"

"I guess so," Shakey agreed, his smile growing at the memory of the Clones' acceptance of him.

"Now then," Mazurka changed gears & gave an EVIL GRIN, "About your 'First Aid' lesson with Rave this morning…"

Shakey groaned, & slumped in his seat…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - A Friend In Need.

Mazurka's apartment had been Shakey's home ever since she'd taken him in, back when he'd first arrived in the City.  Shakey was glad to be back in its familiar surroundings, instead of the impersonal blandness of the Hospital room.

'Especially since I can take it easy today,' Shakey smiled at the thought of being able to do whatever he wanted, such as relax & watch TV, listen to his tapes, play the Cello…

'Then again…' his mood changed as he contemplated the mess that had accumulated in the short time he'd been away, 'Maybe I'd better spend the day cleaning up…'

Mazurka though, had other plans for Shakey.  Despite the 'clean bill of health' the Psychiatric Department had given him, she was still concerned about him being alone by himself.

"Shakey?  Could you do me a favour?"

Shakey looked at her suspiciously, "Like what?"

'How will he take this?' Mazurka barely paused, "Well…  I've been assigned some extra duties…"

Shakey sighed, 'Oh Great!  Next she'll say she won't be able to do her part of the household chores…  Looks like I'll be doing ALL of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, & trash duty…  AS Usual…'

"…And I was wondering if you'd like to help me out with them?"

Shakey blinked, "Me?  Help you?  With Official stuff?"

"Uh-Huh!"

"B-But I don't know any of that!  I barely know how to pilot an AVE!"

"Oh, That's Okay!  You won't be doing anything 'Technical'…  Just… helping me with some of the little jobs that come with my new duties, that's all."

"Mazurka," Shakey answered in a flat voice, "Do you want me to be a 'Go-For' & coffee maker?"

'The kid's fast!' Mazurka sweat-dropped, "Uh…  Not… exactly…  I've been assigned as Guardian for the Clones, and…"

"What?  As well as me & Aesir?"  Shakey looked around the apartment, "Don't tell me they're all moving in HERE with us?"

"No, no, they'll get their own apartments, elsewhere…  It's just that they need some help in learning how to take care of themselves…"

'Especially housecleaning,' Shakey totally accepted Mazurka's statement as he remembered the condition of Rave's apartment.

"Okay," Shakey admitted defeat gracefully, "I'll help.  What do you want me to do?"

"Thanks," Mazurka flashed a big smile at him, "I'll need you to help them learn about cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, trash duty…"

Shakey nodded, 'Yeah!  I can do that…'

"Oh yes!" added Mazurka, "And how to make coffee!"

"I knew it…" Shakey muttered under his breath.

A short time later, & Shakey was once again under scrutiny.  This time though, it was from several dozen pairs of crimson eyes.  Like the Clones in the Hospital, they welcomed him.  And like the Clones in the Hospital, Shakey tried to introduce himself politely.  Although with so many more of them, it did take longer…

Eventually, Shakey got down to work, & started teaching the Clones what he was good at.  The Clones watched intently, as Shakey revealed to them his Inner Knowledge of such Arcane Mysteries as 'Toilet Cleaning', 'Using a Mop', 'Dusting', 'Laundry', etc.

It was tiring work for Shakey, & by lunchtime, he was hoarse from talking, & feeling tired from the practical demonstrations he'd been giving.

"Shakey!" Mazurka called out, "Can you give the girls a hand preparing lunch?"

"…yeah, yeah…" Shakey trudged over to the meal preparation area.

The Clones made room for Shakey, & watched as he started applying his culinary skills to the lacklustre vegetables at hand…  Shakey noticed their attention, & things turned into an impromptu demonstration in proper techniques.

"…hold the knife like so, & chop by ROCKING the blade back & forth…"

The Clones around him nodded, & applied the lesson to their own vegetables.  They were learning a lot from Shakey.

Shakey waited until everyone else had been served their meals, then took his own plate of food & a drink over to a corner.  'I'm beat…' he moaned mentally, slumping down against a wall with his meal.

"Are you all right?" a soft voice asked.

Shakey looked up to see several Clones giving him concerned looks.

"I'm fine, just tired…" Shakey gave them a reassuring smile.

The Clones returned to their meal, although every now & then, one or another of them would glance in his direction.

Shakey was ravenous, & demolished his lunch.  Afterwards, he lay down & closed his eyes, hoping to grab a minute or two of shuteye.

…He was more tired than he thought…

Within seconds, Shakey had slipped into an exhausted sleep.  His body was trying to restore itself by natural means, now that the pharmaceutical augmentation that had sustained it was wearing off.

Mazurka was informed of his condition by a Clone near her.

The Clone simply said, "Shakey is exhausted.  He has fallen asleep."

"Hmm…" Mazurka considered things.  She chewed her lip thoughtfully, then told the Clone, "Probably best to let him be.  He needs the sleep.  Don't disturb him, but keep an eye on him, & tell me if there's any problems…"

"We will," the Clone replied.

Several hours later, Mazurka decided to stop for the day, & go home.  When she went to wake Shakey up, she got a surprise.  Shakey was surrounded by a group of injured Clones, all of whom were intently watching him.  Someone had put a pillow under his head, & draped a blanket over him.

"Wake up Shakey," Mazurka gently nudged him.

"Mmmhuh… what?" Shaky asked groggily, still half asleep.

"Time to go home."

Shakey was startled as he realised just how long he'd been asleep.  'Oh Great!  Some impression this'll make!' he thought sheepishly, 'I'm supposed to be helping them, & I go to sleep on the job…  They'll think I'm lazy…'

Shakey was too embarrassed to look the Clones in the face as he bade them farewell.  He followed Mazurka out, his head bowed & his gaze on the floor.  Consequently he didn't see the slightly sad look on the Clones' faces as he left, or really hear the tone of regret in their voices as they chorused farewell.

"Thank You, Shakey…"

Mazurka did though.  "Shakey," she asked, once they were in her car, "I know it's getting late, but…"

"But what Mazurka?"

"Would you mind if we made a quick visit to 'Rave', at her place?"

Shakey was puzzled, "Why?"

"Well, since I've been appointed 'Guardian' for the Clones, I'm her Guardian as well…  So it's part of my responsibilities to check in on her & make sure she's all right…"

"Okay."

"Great!  We've visited everyone else today, so it'd be rude to leave her out…"

They drove towards the apartment of Rave Imanonymous, beneath a dark grey sky that threatened to rain at any moment…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - The Rain, The Clone, & Other Things…

The storm broke while Shakey & Mazurka were still travelling.  Without any warning rumbles of thunder, down came the rain, by the bucket load.

Shakey was relieved when Mazurka slowed down.  It was a short respite as he realised that she only did so because the windshield wipers didn't work.

"Um?  Mazurka?" Shakey deciding not to be 'subtle' about it, "The Windshield wipers don't work?"

"Don't worry about it," Mazurka cheerfully replied, "I've got 'Rain-X' on the windscreen, so it's all right…"

Shakey looked at the windshield, wondering what she meant.

The rain didn't 'coat' the windscreen in a sheet of moisture.  Instead, it formed into countless small globules of liquid that quickly ran off the glass.  The view through the 'beads' of water was surprisingly clear.

'Just like the AVE's,' Shakey realised, recognising the effect from several training sessions.  'Is it the same stuff?  If it is, how did Mazurka get it?'

Shakey was about to ask, when Mazurka swerved violently to avoid a near collision with another car.

"See?  I told you it'd be all right!" despite the narrow escape, Mazurka was still nonchalant…

Shakey nodded, & held on to the door handle for dear life.  'I must find out if this car has Passenger Side Air Bags,' he thought for the umpteenth time, 'And if they're in working condition if it does…'

Shakey was glad when the trip was over, even though it meant getting wet when he left the car.  The pair scurried into the dubious shelter of the run-down apartment block Rave called 'home'.

"This isn't good," the elevator didn't respond when Mazurka pressed the button, "Oh well!  Taking the stairs is good exercise."

"This really isn't good," Mazurka muttered darkly, as they squelched their way up a stairwell flowing with runoff from blocked gutters…

They came to Rave's apartment.

"Must be broken," Mazurka gave her Expert Opinion after the third attempt at using the unresponsive doorbell on Rave's apartment.  She rapped loudly on the door, "Rave?  It's Mazurka…  Are you there?"

Getting no response, Mazurka tried the door handle.  The door opened, allowing her & Shakey to see inside the apartment.  Inside, Rave sat in a dark apartment, an open textbook in her lap, & a blank expression on her face as she looked at her visitors.

"I am here," Rave quietly replied.

Mazurka entered with Shakey in tow.  They paused to remove their shoes, although Mazurka kept talking, "I've been made 'Guardian' for all of you… 'Girls', & I'm here in that Official capacity.  I was wondering if there was anything you needed, or wanted to talk about?"

Rave paused before replying, "No."

"Is it always like this when it rains?" Mazurka eyed the damp sheen on the walls of the apartment with distaste.

"Yes," as usual, Rave got straight to the point.

The reply flustered Mazurka, she rallied with, "Well, as your Guardian, it's my duty to see that you have adequate accommodation.  If it's okay with you, I'll just have a quick look around…"

Mazurka didn't wait for a reply, she started surveying the Hovel, leaving Rave & Shakey together.  Rave looked at Shakey.  Shakey looked awkwardly back at Rave.  He'd last seen her that morning, but events since then had made the memory seem so old & out of place.

"I-I've met your… sisters…" Shakey faltered in his brilliant conversation opener…

Rave merely looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"They seem like nice people," Shakey desperately tried not to sound as if he was making inane small talk.

Rave tilted her head slightly.

"Uh…  I mean…" Shakey realised that there was more than one way of interpreting what he'd just said, not all of them complimentary.

"You find their company agreeable," Rave's comment could be either a question, or statement of fact.

Shakey made a non-coherent mumble while shrugging in an ambiguous fashion.

"They find your company agreeable," once again, Rave's comment could be either a question, or statement of fact.

Shakey didn't know how to answer that, he just looked bashfully at the floor & muttered, "I don't know…"

They lapsed into silence, Shakey looking anywhere but at Rave, & Rave looking nowhere but at Shakey.

Meanwhile, Mazurka was diligently checking out the apartment.  Now that she was having a proper inspection, what she saw was provoking a strong sense of unease.

The hand basin in the bathroom had leaking taps, & bad rust stains.  Its pedestal cupboard had once been melamine coated chipboard, but moisture damage had swollen the chipboard to the point of structural collapse, & Mould & Mildew had turned the damaged chipboard into a fluffy dark grey mess.  It was also missing the door & shelves…

As for the bath…  There was no shower curtain, let alone a curtain rod to hold one, but rusty marks showed where one might have been.  There was no towel rack either, just a single towel hanging on a bent wire coat hanger that had been inserted in a rusty hole in the wall…  The tiling was in a sad state.  Several tiles were missing altogether, & the grouting between the tiles had deteriorated to the point it barely held the tiles in place when Mazurka idly poked them with a finger…

The toilet porcelain was cracked, & looked as if it had never been cleaned.  It certainly wasn't the standard white, although Mazurka couldn't say what colour it should be, as it varied so much…

The light switch outlet had a cracked faceplate.  The light didn't work when Mazurka tried it.  When she looked, she saw the bulb holder in the ceiling held the jagged glass remains of a broken bulb.  The electrical power outlet was missing the switch button altogether, & bare metal contacts showed…

In the Kitchen area…  It was more of the same.  The heating elements on the stove were corroded, & everything looked like badly worn out junk.  There was ample evidence of Cockroach infestation.

In the main room…  Rave only had five pieces of furniture.  Bed, chair, chest-of-drawers, & two cardboard boxes.  The 'built-in' wardrobes were almost a relief.  Apart from the one nearest the wall, they weren't so badly moisture damaged as to be unusable.  Still, shelving was missing, & there were barely enough to cater to the only things in the wardrobe, a few sets of Rave's school uniforms…

The curtains by the bed were badly sun rotted & brittle, while the glass doors behind them to the balcony were jammed shut.  Apart from being dirty & unwashed, the glass was cracked & crazed, with some pieces having fallen out.  A draft breezed past.  Several small cracks in the concrete gave a reason.  It appeared that either 'settling' or earth tremors had caused the door tracks to flex & buckle.

The flooring throughout the apartment was a mixture of linoleum, bare concrete, & poorly maintained tiles.  All were tracked & hidden under a layer of grime.

Mazurka idly rested her hand against a moisture slick wall.  It came away with greyish-black slime on it, & several small chips of what appeared to be paint.  Total Disgust showed on Mazurka's face, 'I thought the walls of this place were just bare concrete, but it's actually dirt, mould & mildew…'

'This is pathetic,' Mazurka decided, 'I wouldn't condemn a criminal to live in a dump like this, let alone someone whose well-being my life depended on…'

Mazurka turned to Rave, "Rave, just how long have you been living here?"

"Since I became Rave."

"Uh, actually, I meant, how long has there been 'A' Rave living here?"

"Since the Second became Rave."

Mazurka was getting nowhere fast, "So, 'approximately' how long ago was that?"

"Approximately 4 years,"

Knowing what she did about the Clones, the reply disturbed Mazurka, 'She only had 4 years of her own life?'

Mazurka shook her head & brought her mind back to the task at hand, 'This doesn't make sense…  This is a new city, built to be as modern as possible…  This place couldn't have deteriorated so much in such a short space of time…'

"What was this apartment like when you moved in?" Shakey asked helpfully.

"Drier than it is now," Rave's guests face-faulted at the deadpan reply.

Mazurka mulled the comment over, 'Yeah…  That could be…  If this place was a dump when Rave first moved in, that would account for its current state.  But…  If it was already a dump back then, how old is it?  And why was she allowed to live here in the first place?  Surely, they could have found something better for her?  Even if she did have a fixation about that lab…'

Mazurka sighed as she surveyed the Hovel Rave called Home, "Rave, would you ever consider living elsewhere?"

"Why?"

"Because this place is not what I consider adequate accommodation."

Rave paused slightly, looking around the room before asking, "What is adequate accommodation?"

"Anyplace better than this," muttered Shakey.

Mazurka shot an annoyed look at the boy, but smiled as she turned back to Rave, "Well now, if you really want to know, why don't you come back to my Apartment?  Then you'll see what I think is adequate accommodation."

Shakey gave a worried look to Mazurka that all but said, 'But I haven't been able to clean it for the past couple of days!  The place is a mess!'

"If you like," Mazurka continued, "You can even sleep over!"

Shakey turned pale, 'Rave?  Sleep over?  At Mazurka's?  What will Aesir say if she finds out?  What will Aesir DO if she finds out?  Mazurka, What are you…?'

Rave glanced at Shakey.  "All right," she replied, making Shakey's worst fears an undeniable future.

"Good," Mazurka seemed pleased, "You'll need a change of clothes for school tomorrow & your pyjamas for tonight."

"Why will I need school clothes?"

"Because if you sleep over, you may as well go to school straight from my place, instead of having to come back here to get changed."

Rave nodded, apparently satisfied at the logic.  She quietly assembled her things, using both her school bag, & a large plastic garbage bag.

Shakey was unable to adequately convey his concerns to Mazurka, 'How do I tell her this is NOT a Good Thing, without hurting Rave's feelings?'

Then another troubling thought ran through Shakey's mind, 'Wait-A-Minute!?  Where is she going to sleep!?'

As if reading his mind, Mazurka spoke the words that would seal Shakey's doom.

"Rave, you can sleep in Aesir's room!  I'm sure Aesir won't mind, after all, you're both girls…"

"M-muh-ZuRKA!" Shakey's barely coherent gurgle was due to Mortal Fear, "Ay-Aesir might not LIKE having someone else in her room while she's not there!"

'And three guesses which MALE in the household will cop the fallout from YOUR decision,' Shakey added mentally.

Mazurka retorted, "Well she either sleeps in Aesir's room or on the Living Room floor…"  Then she smiled & joked, "Unless Shakey, YOU want to sleep on the Living Room floor, while Rave has YOUR room?  Hmmmm?"

Shakey was speechless as he tried to think whether such actions might affect Aesir's acceptance of the situation.  And whether or not it would affect in the slightest the amount of fallout Aesir would inflict on him.

"I will sleep on the floor," Rave quietly stated.

Shakey's face fell as he agonised, 'I can't let her sleep on the hard floor while I'm in a soft bed!  It wouldn't be right, she's our guest…'

"No!" Shakey blurted out, "I mean, you're our guest…  You should be in a bed, so if they're the choices, please use my bed.  I'll sleep in the Living Room…"

Mazurka blinked at Shakey's offer, "Well!  Looks like we've got that settled!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Sleepover.

It was still raining when Mazurka, Shakey & Rave left Rave's alleged home.  All three got drenched getting into Mazurka's car, especially Shakey since he played 'Gentleman', opening the car door & waiting until Rave got into the back seat.

Fortunately, Mazurka's Apartment Block had undercover car parking for its residents.  That little fact spared the trio another soaking.  They were still somewhat soggy though, & Mazurka decided it would be best if they wasted no time in getting into dry clothes.

"Right!" Mazurka went straight into 'Tactical Command Mode', "Rave!  You use the bathroom first!  Get cleaned up, & into some dry clothes!  Clean towels are in the cupboard.  The light switch is beside the door.  I'll use the bathroom after you, then Shakey can use it!"

"Yes," Rave immediately implemented her part in Mazurka's brilliant strategy.

"Okay," Shakey sighed, vainly hoping there'd be enough hot water left for him.

Mazurka turned to Shakey, "In the meantime Shakey, you can start on supper."

"Mazurka," Shakey waited until Rave had disappeared into the Bathroom, "Can you clean up some of this mess while I cook?"

"Oh it's all right!" Mazurka cheerfully surveyed the friendly chaos around her, "A house should look lived in, or else it's not a Home."

Shakey watched as Mazurka chugged her first six-pack of the evening.  He rolled his eyes & thought, 'Home to What?' as he shuffled off to the kitchen.

Rave's upbringing had instilled in her a Spartan sense of Functional Efficiency.  She was in & out of the Bathroom in 5 minutes.  She emerged wearing a clean school uniform, & carrying the one she'd been wearing on a coat hanger.

Mazurka nearly choked to death on a beer when Rave unexpectedly appeared from nowhere & said, "The bathroom is available."

Mazurka coughed up the beer she'd almost inhaled, then stumbled off to the Bathroom.  Unlike Rave, she would take about twenty minutes…

"Achoo!" the sneeze came from Shakey in the kitchen.

"Are you all right?" Rave asked, concerned that Shakey might be catching cold.

"Yeah…  Just too much Pepper…"

"Pepper?"

"Mazurka likes lots of Pepper on her 'Pepper Steak'."

"I dislike eating meat," Rave reminded him.

"Don't worry," Shakey reassured her, "I'm making vegetarian dishes for you."

Rave stood & watched as Shakey skilfully prepared the meals.  Shakey sneezed again, & a slight shiver ran through him.

"You are getting cold," Rave stated the obvious.

"I'm fine, but…"

Rave inclined her head slightly, waiting for Shakey to continue.

"I could use some help in getting dinner ready."

"What should I do?" Rave was more than little perplexed by the range & variety of strange utensils & food items in the kitchen.

"Well, if you could prepare some more vegetables, that'd help."

Rave looked blankly at the heap of vegetables on the kitchen sideboard, then sought clarification, "Which ones, & how?"

"Well…" Shakey then launched into another lesson, on the finer points of the Arts of Nutritional Selection, & Gourmet Preparation of vegetables.

Rave listened intently to Shakey's instructions, & viewed his practical demonstration with intense interest.  Shakey left things to her, & Rave rapidly cleaned & chopped the vegetables, the cook's knife flashing expertly in her hands.

Shakey paused to admire her technique, 'She's GOOD!'

"What now?" Rave soon asked, having finished her task in record time.

Shakey dumped the sliced vegetables into another cooking pot, concluding, "Now all we do is simmer the vegetables for a few minutes…"

Shakey stood watch over the pot with a much-practiced eye, gently stirring the vegetables to ensure even cooking.  To relieve the boredom & be polite to his guest & erstwhile kitchen assistant, he asked, "You do much cooking yourself?"

"No."

"So what do you normally cook at home?"

"I do not cook."

"Oh…" Shakey thought he understood.  Rave's apartment was so run down, it was probably not a good idea to do any cooking, in case a fire started, "You don't cook at home?  Where do you eat?"

"Wherever I have food…  Home, school, the Base Cafeteria, &… other… places…"

"Still," Shakey added, "You did the vegetables very well.  I suppose you learned how to prepare food like that in School, then?"

"No."

Shakey was puzzled, "Where then?"

Rave was hesitant, "Here."

"Here?" Shakey was openly incredulous, "You mean that was your first attempt at preparing food like that?"

Rave nodded.

"Wow," Shakey looked at Rave with frank admiration, "You must be a 'natural', just like the 'Trainee Chef' stories in the weekly comics…"

Rave's cheeks pinked slightly at Shakey's words of praise.

Mazurka chose that moment to advise Shakey that the bathroom was free.

"Shakey?" Mazurka announced, reaching for another six-pack of beer, "Your turn!"

Shakey was slightly upset as he noted Mazurka was wearing her 'casual' attire of old denim cut offs, & tank top, 'In front of a guest too…  Still, it could be worse…  She could be wearing her version of the bike shorts & T-shirt outfit Aesir & I had to wear that time…'

"Okay" Shakey shook his head as he trudged off, concerned at Mazurka's lack of more formal attire, "Just watch dinner for me & make sure it doesn't burn…"

"No burrrUURRRPPP worries," Mazurka belched, then reached for another six-pack.  She chugged two cans, then noticed that Rave was quietly watching her.

"…" said Rave, noticing how much alcohol her Superior Officer was imbibing.

"So…  Rave…" Mazurka commented conversationally, "Why the uniform?"

Rave looked down at her clothes, then back to Mazurka, "It is all I have."

Mazurka was sceptical, "But surely you have clothes other than School uniforms?"

Rave hesitated slightly, "Yes."

"Well why not wear them?"

"Because Pyjamas, Sports uniforms, Swimsuits & Underwear are less appropriate in a social setting such as this…"

Mazurka choked on her beer again.  When she finished spluttering, she asked, "Is that ALL you've got?"

"Yes."

"Nothing you wear to perk you up, lift your spirits?"

Rave stared blankly at Mazurka.

Mazurka tried to clarify, "You know, make you feel better?  Warm inside?"

"I have a school sweater…"

Mazurka sighed, "Who buys your wardrobe for you?"

Rave looked at the table, "I do not know.  I think perhaps, Commander Atari…"

Mazurka put her head on the table & groaned as she realised what this meant, 'I should have known!  Never leave the selection of a young girls wardrobe to a man with the priorities of an Accountant…  The stingy old so-&-so probably included her Wardrobe costs in one of his cutbacks…'

Mazurka recalled how frugally Rave lived, 'Then again…  Maybe it was her Lifestyle costs he cut back on, instead of just her wardrobe costs…'

Inspiration struck Mazurka, "Rave, have you ever played 'dress-up'?"

"What is 'dress-up'?"

"Something Girls do to have fun.  Basically, they try on clothing, seeing how different pieces look.  Have you ever tried it?"

"No," Rave softly replied.

"Would you like to try on some of my stuff, just to see what it's like?"

Rave was silent, apparently thinking over the offer.

"It won't hurt to try," Mazurka coaxed, "And it might give Shakey a nice surprise to see you in something different…"

"It would?"

Mazurka smiled, "All boys like to see pretty girls dressed in nice clothes…  Shakey's no different…"

Curious, Rave nodded & rose from the table.  Soon she & Mazurka were in Mazurka's bedroom, doing the 'Girl Thing' of dressing up for the sake of feeling good about oneself…  For the sake of having FUN.

"Why do you have so many clothes?" Rave was more than slightly bewildered by the vast range of clothes, makeup, & accessories crammed into Mazurka's room.

Mazurka went into 'Lecture Mode', "Now Rave, one of the greatest resources any Lady has, is a decently stocked wardrobe.  The secret is to have outfits that can co-ordinate with others."

"Why?"

"For the sake of variety of course!  Variety IS the spice of life…"

And so it went, Mazurka being fully caught up in the Joy of Wardrobe Sharing, something she hadn't really done in years.

…But back in the kitchen, the unsupervised supper was still cooking…

Shakey sighed contentedly as he left the Bathroom, 'There was still enough hot water for me to have a nice relaxing shower…'

The smile on his face vanished as his nose informed him that something was being dangerously overcooked…

"Supper!" Shakey wailed in fear, racing into the kitchen just in time to save the evening meal from being 'Charcoal Grilled Briquettes'…

Shakey groaned as he surveyed the damage, 'It's overcooked, but not too badly burnt…  I hope Rave likes barbecued vegetables…'

Shakey slumped as he wondered if this would account as a 'poor showing' in the eyes of their guest, 'Well, I can give her the non-burnt bits at least…'

"Sorry Shakey," Mazurka mumbled from the Living Room behind him.

Shakey turned, his emotional state giving him the courage to 'give her a piece of his mind'.  He stopped dead, the words dying in his throat at what he saw.

Rave, her arms crossed over her chest, looking somewhat nervous, with her eyes downcast, & her cheeks pink.  Dressed in one of Mazurka's 'Dress' dresses…

Rave was clad neck to ankle & wrists in a black outfit.  On Mazurka it would be 'Tight' around the hips, but on Rave's frame it was 'Fashionably Loose'…

"Well?" Mazurka grinned, "Does she look good, or should we keep trying on more outfits?  Personally, I think it suits her…  What do you think?"

Shakey's jaw dropped, & he nodded dumbly.  It came as a shock to see how much of a 'Swan' a girl like Rave could be…  With a little help from a friend…

Rave relaxed at Shakey's silent acceptance.  She uncrossed her arms & managed a tiny smile, although her cheeks remained pink.

Mazurka looked hopefully at Shakey, "So!  Let's eat!"

Despite being 'overcooked' there were no unfavourable comments about the food, something for which Shakey was grateful.  Despite his staying quiet & keeping a low profile, Mazurka still found something to discuss…

"Rave?  You don't eat meat do you?"

"No."

"Are you anaemic?"

"I am not anaemic.  I take dietary supplements."

"Then why are you so pale?"

"I…" Rave hesitated, "…Commander Atari once said I was a type of Albino…"

"Well…  Would you BE anaemic, if you DIDN'T take the supplements?"

"I… do not know…"

"Well, as your Guardian I need to know!  Your health & well-being, & that of the other Girls, is my responsibility now.  I'll get the Medical Staff to fill me on the exact details…"

That was about it for 'scintillating dinnertime conversation', another thing Shakey was grateful for.  Especially considering some of the topics Mazurka COULD have brought up, such as Rave performing 'E.A.R.' on Shakey.

For whatever reason, Mazurka decided to call it an early night, & go to bed straight after dinner.  She stood & stretched, letting her joints pop & crack into place, "I don't know about you young people, but I'm ready for bed…"

"Then I will go to bed as well," Rave stated.

"It's all right if you want to stay up & talk with Shakey," Mazurka offered.

"No," Rave replied, "Shakey needs his sleep."

The choice of words startled Mazurka, especially as it was practically what she herself had said to the other Clones, 'Is it that 'Twin Thing' again?'

Shakey was feeling rather tired & didn't offer any complaints.  He set up his bedding on the Living Room floor, then lay down & was asleep in minutes.

Mazurka was soon snoring lightly in her room, leaving only Rave awake…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Girls Talk.

In the privacy of Shakey's room, Rave changed into the oversized long-sleeved shirt that served her as a nightgown, then stood in the middle of Shakey's room, just looking all around her.

Shakey didn't have many personal possessions, but they far outnumbered those of the Clones.  Posters, books, music tapes, clothes…  All the trappings & detritus of a normal teenage boy.  It made Rave wonder.

'Why does he have these things?'

'What purpose do they serve?'

'Are they important to him?'

'Are they proof of his having existed?'

'Are they proof of the value of his existence?'

A picture on a chest of drawers caught her eye.  It was of Shakey, & his two school friends Toe-Jam Snoozehard, & Kantsee Hayeater.

'His classmates…  His friends…'

'They are now my classmates…  Are they now my friends…?'

'But…  They are not here anymore…'

'They were evacuated to another city while this one is rebuilt.'

'Why does he keep this picture?'

'Does he keep it to remember friends no longer here?'

'Mazurka said…  He tried to be a friend to the Second Rave.'

Rave looked all around the room, but found no photos of the 'Second' Rave.

'I do not remember ever having been in a photo with him…'

'I am not even in the Class photo with him as the other students are…'

'Does he not have a photo of m-… her… because we were never together in one?'

'Does he only keep memories instead, like we Clones do?'

Rave frowned.

'What memories does he keep of her?'

'Mazurka says he wants to be my friend.'

'What memories will he keep of me?'

Rave thought things over for some time, before turning out the light & lying down to sleep in Shakey's bed.  She was surprised at how much more comfortable the mattress was than the one on her own bed.

'Soft…  Warm,' were Rave's final thoughts, before drifting off to sleep.

Strange dreams came to Rave again that night…

Rave found herself floating through a dark void, along with many coloured patches of moving light, a chaotic mosaic of feelings, thoughts, & experiences.

Mazurka? Pilot Atari! They visit us Pilot Atari is Nervous? Pilot Atari formally introduces himself He has trouble with calling all of us RAVE? Mazurka reminds us to use our numbers

I am #101 Pilot Atari wants me to call him Shakey? He looks into my eyes  It feels… agreeable?

A general repetition followed…

I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #… I am #…

The voices echoed away into the darkness, eventually ending with a far off chorus of Call him Shakey!

Another theme became the main focus in the images.  Visions of Shakey surrounded by Blue-haired Girls, showing them how to use cleaning instruments… then how to slice & prepare vegetables…

Shakey teaches us! To clean! To prepare food!

Another theme change, showing Shakey with a meal tray, looking tired & weary…

Shakey slumps to floor? Concern! Ill? Hurt? Denial! Relief! Tired? From teaching us? He needs sleep? We will watch over him! He sleeps a long time… Mazurka wakes him He is confused He is embarrassed? For tiring himself out helping us?

Rave added to the mosaic, Pilot Atari was upset He feels guilty

Concern! Why?

He thinks he should have been able to save some of the Clones that died

Not possible! Too badly injured!

He did not know that He does now

How?

Rave added some extra memories of her own.

I demonstrated E.A.R. on him He now knows he could not have saved them Major Kutsarug saw me She said to call her Mazurka She said I am welcome in her home But… Visitors should call before going there… She said… Pilot Atari would not mind if I visited them…

Why?

I am unsure… But… Pilot Atari said he thinks Clones are… Nice People…

He thinks Clones are Nice People?

Yes

… something occurred to Rave.

I am a Clone… Does Pilot Atari also think I am a nice person…?

You are We! We are You!

He… taught me how to prepare vegetables for cooking… He praised me… Mazurka let me wear her clothes He praised my appearance

Different clothing makes our appearance praiseworthy?

Yes I was confused by how many different items of clothing Mazurka had Mazurka helped me choose what to wear She said variety is the spice of life

Why would Mazurka lend clothes?

Mazurka wants to be Friend She wants to help She wants to teach

But Mazurka is Guardian!?

Mazurka also wants to be Friend

They want to be Friend? To RAVE?

Yes…

…

Shortly thereafter, Rave fell into a deep sleep…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Awake…

In Mazurka's Living Room, Shakey Atari slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.

…Uneasily…

Shakey tossed & turned, mumbling as a nightmare unfolded in his mind.  Once again he was reliving the final moments of the first girl he knew as Rave Imanonymous, "…noooo…" he mumbled in his sleep, "…Rave… don't do it…"

Shakey stretched his arms out in front of him, tossing the bedding aside as he vainly tried to offer help to one who was gone forever.  A look of loss crossed his face, & he suddenly woke up.  Disorientated, he lay in the gloom, soon coming to the realisation that he'd been dreaming again.  His chest heaved with emotion as tears formed in his eyes.  With a whimper, he curled up into a ball.

Recent events had placed Shakey's mind under enormous strain.  He'd been sent to Hospital for observation, & a secret treatment of psychiatric medication.  Now the medication had worn off, & Shakey had to come to painful grips with reality.

'…she's gone…'

'…i'll never see her again…'

'…never see her smile again…'

'…never hear her voice…'

Shakey broke down & wept for his lost friend…

Mazurka's words rose from somewhere in the gloom, '…You'll feel a need to grieve for her…  Do it!  Don't bottle your emotions up…  People need to grieve…  If a person doesn't grieve, if they don't… let go of the memories…'

Shakey tried to remember everything he could about the second Rave, HIS Rave, even though each one of the pitifully few memories provoked new tears.  For hours Shakey lay, holding a solitary wake.

It was probably the only wake for Rave that Shakey would ever attend, as it was the only wake Rave would ever have.  Rave's true nature was highly classified, & there would be no public acknowledgement of her demise.  No death notice.  No wake.  No funeral.  No grave.  The only people who knew about Rave's death, were either the few authorised to know in the first place, or the few who had found out by accident…

'How many would mourn her?' Shakey wondered, 'If they only knew?'

He frowned, trying to estimate the numbers.  A task made easier by the pitifully small number of people that actually knew Rave to look at her.

'Our classmates?  Most of them didn't really know her…  But I think they'd feel something for her…'

'Aesir?  She & Rave had their 'rivalry'…  Still, they were comrades in arms…'

'Toe-Jam?  Kantsee?  Yeah…  If they knew, they would…  They'd try to hide it though, especially Toe-Jam…'

'Hickory?  As Class Rep she cares about everyone…  She'd cry her eyes out…'

'Ritzy?  The one who tried to kill the Clones?  No…  I guess not…'

'Mayi?  Ritzy's assistant?  Yeah…  She'd take it hard…'

'Moccona & UhOh?  Probably be like Toe-Jam & Kantsee…'

'Mazurka?  Yeah…  She would…  Guardian or not, she would anyway…'

'My Father?  The one who sent her to her death?'

'No,' Shakey thought bitterly, 'He wouldn't care…  He never cares…  As long as we do what HE wants us to…  He doesn't care if we live or die…'

A scowl darkened Shakey's face as he thought about the man who was his father.

'You ran out on me years ago…  You left me behind…'

'You only wanted me here because you could use me…'

'Like you use everyone else around you…'

'Aesir…'

'Toe-Jam…'

'Rave…'

'My mother…'

'And how many others?'

Shakey trembled with rage & fear as he realised that now, his father had others he would probably use…  The Clones…

'Will you use them up like you did Rave?'

'Will you send them to their deaths?'

Shakey snorted in contempt, 'Or will you just make them 'live' as she did?'

Shakey's expression softened as he thought of the Clones he had met, the ones who had talked with him, the ones he had taught, & especially the one who had been with him in his Hospital room, the same Clone who was using his room as an honoured guest.

'They're all exactly like Rave,' Shakey compared her to them, wondering, 'What did you think of your 'twins' Rave?  Did you even think of them as that?  As sisters, family?'

Shakey sighed, remembering comments the second Rave had made about herself, & the way she had often acted.  As if Rave felt she had no personal worth at all.

'Is that why you acted the way you did?  Because you knew, just how 'different' you were to the other people around you?  That you were a Clone?'

'Did that make you think you could be… 'replaced'?'

'But you weren't… 'replaceable' Rave…'

'Not to me…'

'But… you didn't know that, did you?'

'…and I couldn't tell you…'

'Because I didn't know the truth about you then…'

'If I had…  How could I have told you?'

Tears welled in Shakey's eyes as a sense of loss overcame him.

'Your sisters are just like you, Rave…'

'They're nice people…'

'Nice…  People…'

'Despite what you might have thought about yourself…'

The scowl returned to Shakey's face, as dark suspicions bloomed in the fertile ground of Shakey's mind, 'Or despite what others may have told you…'

'You were a person.  Like me, or anyone else…  You were a PERSON…'

'You had worth…'

'Even though my father threw your life away…'

'You had worth…'

Again, the tears flowed.  Shakey rose from his bedding, & went to the kitchen to get a drink, 'They say that if you drink a glass of water, it helps you to stop crying…  Well, here goes…'

It was an old folk tale, but it seemed to work.  That or Shakey was just plain 'cried out', or was finally dealing with things.

Shakey contemplated the cooking utensils he'd used when cooking supper that evening.  A supper that the 'new' Rave had helped him prepare.

"She said I taught her how to prepare food…"

'I was teaching the other Clones how to clean up & do housework earlier today…'

'That's something I never did for you, Rave…'

'Despite the help you gave me…'

'I didn't do much for you in return…'

Shakey's face trembled at the thought he'd somehow let her down.

'But perhaps…'

'Your sisters…'

'I can help them… instead of you…'

'If they'll let me…'

The thought that he might be able to help Rave's sisters, as he had never helped her, lifted a weight from off Shakey's soul.  A new resolve flowed through him.

'I promise I won't let them down Rave!'

'I'll try & make things up to them…'

'No matter what!'

Shakey returned to his bed, & lay for some time, just thinking over what he could do for the Clones.  Eventually, he fell into a more restful asleep…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Truths & Half-Truce.

Glando Atari sat in his office with his hands held before him in his usual manner.  He looked as he always did…  Cool, calm, totally in control…

…Even though his current situation was definitely more precarious than normal…

Arranged in a circle around Glando's desk were the dark block-shaped holograms STEELY used whenever they had a meeting with him.  This much-delayed conference with STEELY was rapidly turning into a blame placing exercise, & not surprisingly, Glando himself was a prime target.

STEELY: "This set back is unacceptable."

STEELY: "Atari, how could you allow such a disaster?"

STEELY: "You should have had her under better surveillance…"

STEELY: "Yes.  Then she could not have betrayed us."

Glando stayed silent despite the barbs.  He weathered the storm by saying as little as possible, waiting for the unseen committee members to run out of steam.  Finally, his chance came…

STEELY: "I trust you have at least… removed… this thorn from our paw?"

Glando simply stated, "Not yet."

STEELY: "Not yet?"

STEELY: "Why not?"

STEELY: "The woman betrayed us!"

STEELY: "She destroyed resources that are not easily replaceable!"

STEELY: "If at all!"

STEELY: "Have you any idea how much this has cost us?"

STEELY: "Well?  We are waiting…"

Glando tilted his head slightly & calmly replied, "This situation was unforeseeable.  As did her mother before her, Doctor Akatlover snapped without warning & did the unthinkable…"

STEELY: "Don't play games with US, Atari!"

STEELY: "We know full well how Nayokay died!"

Glando's voice became loud & firm, "Then you know it may have happened again…"

STEELY: "What do you mean?"

"Techniques we use to our advantage, may also be used by others."

STEELY: "Are you suggesting that her 'breakdown' was planned?"

Glando's answer dripped with suspicion, "It is a possibility I choose not to ignore…  Unfortunately, I can neither prove, nor disprove it at this time.  You know how… subtle… such things can be…"

STEELY: "What of the surviving Clones?"

STEELY: "Yes!  How badly contaminated are they?"

"We have not yet started testing them."

STEELY: "Why not?"

"Many are too injured to be effectively tested."

STEELY: "Then try a sample."

STEELY: "Yes.  Time is of the essence."

STEELY: "We need to know as soon as possible, so we can plan accordingly."

STEELY: "Wait, this Committee does not want any ill-informed judgements."

STEELY: "We don't want any smoke screens either!"

"To do it properly, I will need to test a substantial number of the Clones, so that 'statistical errors' do not accumulate."

STEELY: "Why bother?  Scrap them all & start afresh!"

STEELY: "There is wisdom in hastening slowly.  If we can salvage any of them, the benefits will far outweigh the costs of testing the lot of them."

STEELY: "Let alone the costs of starting anew…"

Hidden by his hands, a ghost of a smile crossed Glando's face, "I have something else you may find… interesting…"

STEELY: "How so?"

"Observe," Glando pressed a button on his desk.

A large Holographic video screen flickered into life.  It showed a split screen image of two different scenes.  In one, a woman was teaching a group of blue-haired girls how to prepare simple hairstyles.  In the other, another group of blue-haired girls lay in Hospital beds.  Some of the latter group were trying their hair in the same styles the woman was teaching.

STEELY: "Hairdressing?"

STEELY: "How is this supposed to impress us?"

Glando began to speak in a slow measured voice, "To understand these images, you must first be made aware of certain things.  1 - As seen by the time codes on the images, both of these videos were made at the same time."

STEELY: "So?  What of it?"

Glando ignored the question, "2 - The recorded incidents occurred in different buildings, at the same time.  You will notice, that the hair styles being taught, are the exact same ones being tried by those in the Hospital beds…"

STEELY: "This is preposterous!"

STEELY: "Atari, if this is a waste of our time…"

Glando continued in a calm voice, "3 - The Clones in the Hospital Beds had never been given any hair styling lessons."

STEELY: "So, they merely imitated what they saw elsewhere…"

Glando carried on regardless, "4 - Before these images were recorded, there was an… incident… with two other Clones…  It indicated that they were somehow communicating in a way Humans could not…"

STEELY: "Oh Come Now Atari!  PSI abilities?"

STEELY: "You really expect us to believe THAT?"

Glando merely said, "Have you forgotten how these Clones were created?"

STEELY: "How could we?"

STEELY: "We made them to serve our purpose."

STEELY: "As does the fruit of our earlier efforts…"

Glando stared at the monoliths like a hungry wolf might glance at a fat juicy rabbit, "Then you will remember the benefits we obtained from one particular project.  The ones we weren't… 'expecting'…"

The monoliths fell silent…

In the absence of any interruption, Glando continued, "That earlier project laid the very foundation for these Clones, & we expected similar benefits.  But there were… changes… between the two projects…  And we may now have some more… 'unexpected benefits'…"

STEELY: "If what you insinuate is true…  Then there may be certain… 'benefits'… to be obtained from this situation…"

STEELY: "IF it's true, then perhaps they are no longer suitable to our plans!"

STEELY: "If they do not perform as expected, then we should destroy them all!"

STEELY: "No.  Such abilities could be useful…"

STEELY: "IF such abilities exist!"

STEELY: "Yes, IF!  The earlier Clones didn't display such abilities!"

Glando almost smiled as he countered, "How do you know they didn't?"

STEELY: "We would have noticed!'

"Even if they were trying to hide such a talent from you?"

The committee fell silent again, although this time, there was a hint of fear…

Now that he had them off balance, Glando went for the throat, "IF these abilities exist in the Rave Clones, they MAY exist in the others.  If they exist in the others, then WHY hasn't any record been made of them?"

No dissenting voice disturbed the silence.  For now, Glando had centre stage.

"I can see only three reasons…" Glando paused, then slowly went through each point, "1 - It is an ability they do not have…  2 - It is a latent ability that has not yet developed in them…  Or 3 - It is an ability that HAS developed, & they are keeping it secret from us…"

Glando stopped to let that rather ominous last point sink in.

A faint hint of fear in the room seemed to have grown…

"In any case," Glando sounded almost nonchalant, "It is in our best interests to find out.  Especially when we consider the abilities they have already demonstrated.  Not to mention the nature of the facilities they frequent."

STEELY: "Do you seek to divide us with fear Atari?"

STEELY: "We have nothing to fear from them.  They have been conditioned for absolute obedience to our will!"

"Yes," Glando not quite sneered, "I have heard of how they were… 'conditioned'…  And that knowledge alone, makes me question if they would DARE tell you, IF they had any 'unexpected' abilities…"

The Committee fell silent again.  This time though, the fear was palpable.

STEELY: "Perhaps we should be more afraid of your Clones Atari…  I understand you chose 'alternate methods' to ensure their loyalty…?"

A cold, hard look flitted across Glando's face, "When I was given control of their upbringing, I also received advice from experts in human psychology.  Yes, the course I took was different, but it was still endorsed, & fully authorised by this very committee.  My Clones are loyal, & they will remain so."

STEELY: "But when will they be ready?"

"When they have matured, & their abilities have… fully developed…"

STEELY: "And when will THAT be Atari?"

Glando didn't flinch at the swipe, "They have had different 'conditioning', & a different background environment.  These factors must be taken into account."

STEELY: "Still…  By now they should be ready…"

STEELY: "The others were at their age…"

"As you will recall, the first successful Cloning experiment didn't yield results until they had almost completed their second decade…"

STEELY: "But the second experiment yielded results a full seven years sooner."

"With a much higher attrition rate than those in my care, even taking Doctor Akatlover's actions into account."

STEELY: "But girls are supposed to mature earlier than boys, Atari…"

"Terms such as 'girls' & 'boys', only apply to Human offspring…"

STEELY: "Enough of this bickering over irrelevant details!"

STEELY: "Yes.  Let us make a decision…"

All around Glando, the STEELY members went silent.  The images remained, but the various members of the unseen Committee had retired to conduct their debates & deliberations on a separate communication line, unobserved by the man such decisions would most greatly affect.

They took their time, their absence stretching for a half hour.

Glando sat still as a rock for the entire time, a living statue awaiting a breath of life from a higher plane.

…Or a death knell…

Without warning, the Committee members came back into Glando's realm.

STEELY: "We have reached a consensus."

STEELY: "We have decided to test the Clones."

STEELY: "ALL of them!"

STEELY: "We want a complete report."

STEELY: "With in-depth analysis & critical conclusions."

STEELY: "And full detailing of expenses!"

STEELY: "Our schedule will be adjusted accordingly, to give you time."

STEELY: "You don't have forever Atari."

STEELY: "We want hard answers as soon as possible."

STEELY: "We will contact you if we change our minds."

STEELY: "Don't give us reason to!"

With that final threat, the Committee members vanished from Glando's office.

Glando sat unmoving for a few minutes, then he sighed, his body trembling slightly as his posture relaxed.

"Don't worry," Glando sneered contemptuously, "You won't observe any reason to change your minds…  I'll make sure of that…"

The current crisis averted, Glando picked up his phone & began to make calls…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 3 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Breathless.

"That's Great!"  Shakey was MOST enthusiastic about getting out of the Hospital room, especially if it presented topics for conversation other than what Mazurka could have talked about, "I'll finish breakfast & get changed…"

"You haven't had breakfast yet?"  Mazurka turned to the meal trolley & lifted the cover.  A look of mortally shocked horror crossed her face as she saw the untouched meal.  "**GOOD LORD**!" she choked.

"What's wrong Mazurka?" asked Shakey.

Mazurka stared in Total Shock at Shakey, "You 'smooth talked' Rave into 'E.A.R.' WITHOUT having eaten your 'Weet-Bix'!?"

Mazurka turned to Rave, "Be thankful I got here when I did!  There's no telling WHAT might have happened if he'd had his 'Weet-Bix' FIRST!"

Rave made a mental note, 'Ensure adequate supply of 'Weet-Bix' on Island…'

Shakey groaned & covered his head with the sheet.  The only evidence of the deep embarrassment he felt, was the blush spreading along his arms…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Conversations.

"…Were you following orders this morning when you kissed him?" the playful teasing note was still there, but it had turned into the sort of playful teasing note that carried a gun, & was deadly serious about being able to use it…

"It was not a kiss.  I was demonstrating Expired Air Resuscitation…"

Mazurka smiled & nodded, "And?"

Rave seemed puzzled, "And?"

Mazurka rolled her eyes, "And what was it like?  Is he a good kisser?"

Rave blushed, & looked at the floor.

'Oh Great!' thought Mazurka, 'I've embarrassed her!  Now she won't say anythi-"

Rave suddenly giggled, then shyly admitted, "It wasn't bad…"

"I want DETAILS!" grinned Mazurka, as the two began a 'Female Bonding Session'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Visitors.

"Uh… right," Shakey blushed as he shook off his introspective mood.  He went around to all of the other Clones, introducing himself in similar fashion, & politely asking them how they would like him to address them.  Soon, he was on a 'first name basis' with all of them, & had their permission to use their numbers in return.

Mazurka felt relieved as she saw how well Shakey & the Clones were getting along, 'Huh…  He's only been in here a few minutes, & ALREADY he's on a 'first-name-basis' with them, & he's got their numbers to boot…  He must have taken lessons from Cagey…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - A Friend In Need.

Eventually, Shakey got down to work, & started teaching the Clones what he was good at.  The Clones watched intently, as Shakey revealed to them his Inner Knowledge of such Arcane Mysteries as 'Toilet Cleaning', 'Using a Mop', 'Dusting', 'Laundry', etc.

It was tiring work for Shakey, & by lunchtime, he was hoarse from talking, & feeling tired from the practical demonstrations he'd been giving.

"Remember Girls!" Mazurka called out, "Testing in these procedures will be conducted at MY place over the next few months…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - The Rain, The Clone, & Other Things…

Mazurka sighed as she surveyed the Hovel Rave called Home, "Rave, would you ever consider living elsewhere?"

Rave looked around the room.  She couldn't understand why Mazurka would think such a thing.  After all, she had cold running water, ON TAP in the shower, a constant supply of fresh air, all the Insect life she could eat, & even had a power outlet in the Bathroom to zap herself awake with in the mornings…

Still, if Mazurka thought otherwise…

"What is adequate accommodation?" Rave asked.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Sleepover.

Rave listened intently to Shakey's instructions, & viewed his practical demonstration with intense interest.  Shakey left things to her, & Rave rapidly cleaned & chopped the vegetables, the knife flashing expertly in her hands.

Shakey paused to admire her technique, 'She's GOOD!'

He might not have been so admiring, if he had known Rave had acquired her knife technique from watching 'Slasher' films…

'Pity Aesir isn't here,' thought Rave, 'I could get her to help me demonstrate my 'Norman-Bates-Shower-Stall' technique…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Girls Talk #1.

Strange dreams came to Rave again that night…

Rave found herself sitting in a classroom, along with Aesir, Shakey, & Hickory.

Suddenly Aesir jumped out of her seat, & turned to glare aggressively at Rave.

"Rave, I demand we settle this by Mortal Combat!  I challenge you to a duel!"

Rave was perplexed, "Why would you want to fight?"

"What?  Are you stupid?  For Shakey of course!"

Rave looked over to where Shakey was, only to see he was now bound & gagged.

"All Right then," Rave replied.

"Best 2 out of 3 is the winner," grinned Aesir, suddenly ripping away her uniform to reveal a red battle outfit…  And twenty extra pounds of muscle…

"Mondai Arimasen (No Problem)," replied Rave, ripping away her own uniform to reveal a white battle outfit…  And fifty extra pounds of muscle…

A Vicious Catfight followed…  The fighting was low & dirty, & there was plenty of Blazing Martial Arts action…  Aesir was a tough opponent, but Rave eventually defeated her.

"Curses!" screamed Aesir as she gathered her shattered pride, teeth, & clumps of hair from the battlefield, "I'll be back to get you later my Pretty!  You & that 'Little Dog' too!"

With that, the 'Wicked Witch from the West' cranked up her broom & flew off…

Rave woke up the next day on the floor of Shakey's room, in a tangle of bedding.  She blinked as she looked around, not immediately recognising her surroundings…

Not surprising really, as most of the fighting she had done during the night had been inflicted, 'sleep-walker style' on the contents of the room.

Shakey's room had been completely trashed…  The bed was broken in half, the mattress was in five pieces, & the pillows had been shredded…  Impact craters lined what was left of the walls…  Parts of a Cello protruded from opposite walls, & the rest of Shakey's belongings were smashed beyond all recognition…

"…oops…" Rave murmured on viewing the carnage…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Girls Talk #2.

Rave added some extra memories of her own.

I demonstrated E.A.R. on him He now knows he could not have saved them Major Kutsarug saw me She said to call her Mazurka She said I am welcome in her home But… Visitors should call before going there… She said… Pilot Atari would not mind if I visited them…

And?

And?

And what was it like? Is he a good kisser?

Giggle! It wasn't bad…

DETAILS!

Another 'Female Bonding Session' had begun…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Awake.

In Mazurka's Living Room, Shakey Atari slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.

…Uneasily…

Shakey tossed & turned, mumbling as a nightmare unfolded in his mind.  Once again, he was in AVE Unit Won, & there was an attack in progress.

…But he stuck inside the Hangar, unable to launch…

In the Command Centre, Commander Rave sat at her desk, her fingers steepled before her.  Her impassive face was even more mysterious behind mirror shades.

On Number Five Catapult, Glando Atari impatiently awaited the order to launch.  His uncomfortably tight fitting Snug Suit wasn't helping his state of mind.

"Launch Glando from the Number Five Catapult" Commander Rave ordered.

A klaxon sounded, & Number Five Catapult exploded into action, accelerating Glando to the surface in 3.5 seconds.

Glando erupted out of the open hatch, rising over a hundred & fifty stories in the air, soaring above the highest tower blocks in the City, & somersaulting gracefully as he fell to land on the ground…

…With a wet Splat…

Commander Rave's advisor, Fu2ok, turned to her & whispered, "Err…  Don't you think he'd do better if he launched in an AVE, instead of just a Snug Suit?"

"There's no hurry," said Rave softly, "We still have plenty of Glando Clones left over from the Doppelganger OMAKE…  Prepare the next dozen for launch…"

…Back in Unit Won, Shakey moaned & fretted…

…Not so much at not being able to get into the Battle, but at not having a 'Ringside Seat' Topside…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Truths & Half-Truce.

Hidden by his hands, a ghost of a smile crossed Glando's face, "I have something else you may find… interesting…"

STEELY: "How so?"

"Observe," Glando pressed a button on his desk.

A large Holographic video screen flickered into life.  It showed a split screen image of two different scenes.  In one, a woman was teaching a group of blue-haired girls how to prepare simple hairstyles.  In the other, another group of blue-haired girls lay in Hospital beds.  Then the two screens suddenly merged into the one image of a standard test pattern…

Glando blinked in surprise.  All around him, the STEELY Committee members waited patiently.

Suddenly a picture appeared of a Farm Hand 'mucking out' an animal stall…

STEELY: "This is preposterous!"

STEELY: "Oh I don't know…  Perhaps Atari wants us to know what job he'll be applying for after he leaves this meeting…"

Glando began to sweat as he tried to think up an acceptable explanation.

Elsewhere, the MOGGY were busy editing Glando's other 'Secret Files'…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	5. 04 Growth

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 04 "Growth"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Existence?

The early morning light filtered through the curtains in Mazurka's apartment, softly announcing the birth of a new day.

Rave#3 woke up in the grey twilight of Shakey's room, slightly disorientated by the warm comfort that cocooned her.

'Pilot Atari's bed,' she thought, 'Is like his room.  Different to mine.'

As was Rave#2's, & now her habit, Rave#3 rose & prepared for School by having a shower before getting dressed.  Then she had a dilemma.

'What should I do with the clothes I wore last night?  Should I take them with me?  Should I leave them here & pick them up after school?'

Unsure of what to do, Rave went to ask Mazurka.  Mazurka however was asleep & snoring her head off, she couldn't help.  Rave went to ask Shakey, but he too was fast asleep.

'Mazurka said Shakey needs his sleep.  I will wait until either awakes.'

With that, Rave sat on the couch & patiently waited for someone to wake up.

The sun had risen above the horizon since Rave woke, & now it added a faint golden hue to the contents of the Living Room.  Rave could clearly see Shakey as he slept in his makeshift bed.  The boy breathed slowly, peaceful & relaxed.

'I have seen him like this before…' Rave remembered several experiences from the previous Rave, 'But… this is the first time I have actually seen him like this…  This feeling…  On seeing something I remember, but have never seen before…  It is like my dreams…  They feel the same as the memories I received when I was still in the tank…  The memories I received from those who were Rave before me…'

Realisation suddenly dawned, 'They are not dreams.  They are memories from the other Clones.  Somehow…  We are giving each other Memory Downloads…'

Rave had a disturbing thought, 'If my memories are from others…  And my dreams are from others…  Then what part of my existence is my own?  Without their memories…  I have only the experiences of the few days I have lived out of the tank…  But… are they enough to make me… 'me'?'

Rave tried to recall what if anything she had in her own life, that could possibly match up to the few precious memories she had inherited from others.  She began breathing faster as an unusual panic gripped her, 'My existence is based solely on the experiences of others…  Not on anything that is truly mine!'

'Without experiences of my own, I am not me, I am someone else…'

'If I am someone else…  Do 'I' even exist?'

'If 'I' do not exist…  Does that mean… that 'I'… am nothing?'

'If I am nothing…  What about the Others?  They are the same as I am…  Are we all… nothing?'

Rave's thinking came to a painful conclusion, 'We are nothing…  We always were…  Because our lives are empty of our selves…'

Tears brimmed in Rave's eyes, then fell onto the floor as she leant forward & cradled her head in her hands.  She sobbed quietly, as a strange sense of indefinable loss & confusion filled her.

'Why am I crying?  What is this feeling that fills me?'

Shakey woke, with a vague sense that something was not right.  He blinked, not recognising his surroundings at first.

'Mazurka's Living Room?  What…?' Shakey's memory caught up with him, 'Oh, that's right…  Rave's a guest in my room…'

Shakey was about to lie back & get some 'beauty sleep' when the sound of someone snuffling made him look around.  He saw Rave sitting on the nearby couch, crying her eyes out.

"Rave?" Shakey was alarmed at the girl's distraught emotional state.

"…" Rave turned a tear filled gaze on Shakey, & then hid her face in her hands.

Shakey stood up & went over to Rave.  He stood looking at her, wanting to help her, but unsure what to do.  He remembered how Mazurka had comforted him in the hospital.  He sat beside the weeping girl, & put his arms around her.

"Hey…" Shakey said softly, while gently hugging Rave, "If you want to talk about it…  I'm here…  I'll listen to you…"

'Rave' had been the ultimate 'test-tube' baby.  Her conception & gestation had been completed in a laboratory.  Her subsequent upbringing & social conditioning had been as sterile & contrived as the artificial womb that bore her.

Her post-natal care had been at the hands of Laboratory Technicians.  Their cool medical detachment had been her first example of how a human should act.  Her early years were more of a 'scientific field test', a planned experiment in social engineering, rather than the happy chaotic growth of a normal childhood.

All Rave had ever known, were the planned & measured stimuli a group of social theorists & scientists had deemed necessary.  She had never had a loving family, nor had she ever had any childhood friends.  She had never been nursed by a mother, so she had never experienced what all babies do soon after being born…

…What it's like to be comforted by someone who genuinely cares about you…

Until now…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Comfort.

As Shakey held Rave, the Clone slowly stopped crying.  She began to relax, turning to rest her head against Shakey's shoulder.  She became aware of the arms cradling her, & of the person holding her.  Things she hadn't paid attention to before, now came into focus.

The comfortable softness of the cotton t-shirt her cheek rested against…  The warmth from the body she leant against…  The lingering scent of soap they had both used…  The way the other's chest moved as their breath sighed in & out…  The warm tickle of that breath against her skin…  The pulse of another's heart…

Rave curled up closer to the source of the sensations she was perceiving, feeling strangely comforted by the unexpected world her senses were revealing to her, 'This…  I have this for my own… something as the Others did…'

Rave#3 compared her newest personal treasures to what she remembered from the past…  In the comparison, she noted how many of the Other's more pleasant memories had come from the same person…  Many of them were only 'little' things, things many people would see as inconsequential…  But to the socially inexperienced Clones, they were things that had been done for them…

Shakey cleaning Rave's room, 'He cleans Mazurka's apartment as well…  He treated us… as he would… another…'

Rave#3 remembered how Shakey had given up his own bed for her, 'He was more concerned for my comfort, than for his own…'

'He does things for other people…  He does things for us…  Does he think we are… the same as other people…?  Are we… more than 'nothing'… in his eyes?'

A strange emotion passed through Rave, something more pleasant than her usual emotional neutrality displaced the negative feelings within her.  She was unsure of how she should react to these new sensations, so she stayed silent, relaxing completely as she lost herself in the warm sensation of being cared for…

…Unconsciously trusting Shakey to protect her, as she would him…

They stayed that way for some time.  Shakey's simple actions speaking louder than mere words could, of his care & concern for the girl he held.

Shakey realised the Clone was calming down, but refrained from pressing her for details.  It was the Clone herself who spoke first.  Or rather, whispered…

"…empty vessels…"

Shakey shifted slightly so that he could hear better, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that…"

"…we are empty vessels…"

"What do you mean?"

"…we are empty… we have no life of our own…"

Shakey didn't quite understand, 'Is she talking about how she lives?  The lack of a social life?  The 'solitude' amongst other people?'

"What is it like…" the Clone asked hesitantly, "To have your own life?"

Shakey was taken aback by the question, "I… don't understand?"

"We only have second hand memories…" the Clone murmured, "…second hand lives… …nothing of our own…"

Shakey finally understood, "But…  You have the lives of the other Raves to use as a guide, a starting place…  That's something…"

"We had no lives…"

Shakey was shocked at Rave's comment, "But… all the things Rave did… school, piloting AVE, living in her own apartment…"

"Orders… routines… habits made for us by others…"

"But didn't you… she have any life of her own?"

"We had no orders saying we could…"

"You don't NEED orders to have a life!" exclaimed Shakey.

"But…" Rave was confused, "How could we have a life, without being told how to?"

Shakey sat with furrowed brow trying to think.  While he sat thinking, Rave's mind was continuing along another course…

"…do we…" asked a small voice, "…have nothing…  because we are… nothing?"

"Don't ever say that!" Shakey demanded, "Don't ever say that you are 'nothing'!"

"Even though we are… replaceable?"

Shakey tightened his hug, pulling the Clone closer, "You are NOT replaceable!"

"But…"

"You are NOT replaceable!" Shakey repeated before the Clone could finish, "None of you are!  You are all people…  Like me, Mazurka, Aesir…"

An unpleasant thought crossed Shakey's mind…

"Rave…?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember first meeting Aesir?"

The Clone was puzzled by Shakey's change of topic, "Yes?"

"Do you remember how she asked… you… to be her friend?"

"Yes."

"And what was… your… answer to her?"

"We replied, 'If I am ordered to'…"

Shakey paused before slowly asking, "Were you… ordered to?"

"No."

"What about me?  Were you ever… ordered… to be nice to me?"

"We never had such orders," the Clone confirmed.

Shakey breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why do you ask?"

Shakey tried to express his thoughts properly, "The Second Rave was always nice to me.  Those actions were her own choice.  If she did that, without being ordered, then she was having a life of her own…  Like a person…"

Rave thought this over, then quietly admitted, "…only because of you…"

Shakey suddenly realised that Rave#2, HIS rave, had only started to 'have' a life, because HE had been a 'catalyst' in her existence…

Tears welled in Shakey's eyes, 'I didn't think I'd helped Rave in any way…  But if I hadn't come to this city…  What would have happened to her?'

Shakey began to cry, partly out of grief for a life that had been lost, partly out of fear for what might have been, & partly out of the bittersweet joy that he had helped a dead friend to start living…

Rave felt something moist drip on her.  She opened her eyes, to see that tears were trickling down Shakey's face, "Why are you crying?"

"Because my friend is upset…"

"Which friend?" the Clone remembered the picture of Shakey, Kantsee & Toe-Jam in Shakey's room.

"You, Silly," Shakey hugged the surprised Clone…

Mazurka yawned as she woke up.  She stretched lazily under the covers, before pushing them aside, & rising to meet the day.  Scratching her head, she wandered out to see if Shakey had breakfast ready.  She stopped when she saw the scene in the Living Room.

Shakey & Rave were sitting together on the couch, side by side.  Shakey had his arms around Rave, & she was leaning against him, her eyes closed.  Both had what looked like tears on their faces.

'Two friends, helping each other cope with grief…' Mazurka was touched by the sight.  She gazed fondly on the scene, then frowned as she thought, 'How should I handle this?  I can't just barge in on them…  And Shakey will get embarrassed if I say anything…  Rave?  No!  Best to be subtle, & not hurt their privacy…'

Having decided not to intrude, Mazurka sneaked back to her room, & deliberately made a show of waking up noisily.  Part of her plan included calling out in a fake sleepy voice, "Hey Shakey?  You up yet?  What's for Breakfast?"

Mazurka smiled as she heard muffled noises coming from the Kitchen, "I'll give it another couple of minutes, & then make my appearance…'

By the time Mazurka finally made an entrance, things were almost back to normal.  Rave & Shakey looked & acted as they usually did, except for some telltale puffiness around the eyes.  Mazurka acted as if she didn't notice anything…

Breakfast was more lavish than usual, Shakey having used it as an excuse to get some time & space before he had to face Mazurka…  He went all-out in the kitchen, making porridge for Rave from oats, water, & sugar in the microwave, & making 'scrambled omelettes' from bacon, eggs, tomatoes, & onions for himself & Mazurka.  Rave helped in the kitchen by making toast & coffee.

After breakfast, Shakey made lunches for himself & Rave from the leftovers.  He was about to start on the washing up, when Rave intervened…

"I will do the dishes," Rave told Shakey, "You prepare for school…"

Shakey scurried off to his room, leaving Mazurka & Rave alone together.  Mazurka was so engrossed in her own work plans for the day, that she was startled when her train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by Rave.

"Mazurka, may I leave my things here, & collect them this afternoon?"

"Sure," Mazurka recovered quickly, "But I won't be back until late afternoon at the earliest, so you'll have to get Shakey to let you in."

"No problem."

Shakey returned a few minutes later, dressed, & ready for the day ahead.

"Yo, Shakey?"  Mazurka grabbed the boy's attention, "I was just telling Rave she could leave her things here & collect them this afternoon.  You'll be sure to let her in won't you?"

"No problem."

Mazurka flinched at the similarity of Shakey's answer to Rave's.  Her state of mind wasn't helped when she saw Shakey & Rave walk off to school, the pair moving in perfect step with each other…

Mazurka wondered 'Is it just me, or are they acting in synch?'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Communication Breakdown.

It was promising to be a fine sunny day.  Only a few scruffy clouds remained as evidence of the previous night's rainstorm, & even they were threatened by the light breeze that was almost starting to pick up.

Despite the pleasant weather, Shakey was troubled inside.  He looked sideways at Rave.  She appeared to be back to her usual 'normal' self, but just a short time ago, she had been crying.  He frowned slightly, as he wondered what a friend should do in a situation like this…

'Last night…  I promised I'd help Rave's sisters…  But how?'

Inspiration struck, 'Start small I guess…  Just be a friend…'

"Rave?" Shakey nervously tried to get her attention.

"Yes?" Rave didn't change her expression or the direction she looked.

"W-would you like to… e-eat lunch with me today?"

Rave didn't answer, she just kept walking.

'Oh great!' Shakey moaned mentally, 'I've probably embarrassed her!  Why can't I learn to keep my stupid mouth shut, & just leave well enough alone?'

"Yes," a soft voice confirmed.

"Huh?" Shakey was spooked by the suddenness of Rave's answer, & more than slightly confused by the untimeliness of it.

"Yes," Rave repeated herself, "I will eat lunch with you, Pilot Atari."

"Great!" Shakey was relieved, "So, would you prefer to eat outside?  We might be able to eat outside, if the weather holds…  It looks like it might…"

Rave paused before asking, "Where would you like to eat?"

"Where would YOU like to eat?" Shakey's counter question was partly due to his usual cowardice & indecisiveness, & partly due to wanting to please his friend.

Rave hesitated, & then replied, "Outside.  If the weather is fine."

"Okay!  And Please… call me Shakey…  Pilot Atari is too formal…"

Rave remembered scenes from her dreams, "Yes…  Shakey."

Shakey smiled the rest of the way to school.  Rave walked in silence, her expression neutral.  A closer inspection though, would have revealed her head was tilted a little bit lower than normal, as if she was deep in thought…

Shakey's attitude was observed by the other students at the school.  As was the fact, he arrived with Rave the 'Ice Maiden'.  Normally, the Student Rumour Mill would have 'made something' out of such a situation, but since it was only Shakey & Rave…  No one made a comment…

Apart from… "By the way Atari's smiling, Aesir must still be in Hospital…"

Events at lunchtime though, were a different affair…  No pun intended…

"Hey!  Look at that!  Imanonymous & Atari are having lunch together…"

That a 'wimp' like Shakey was having lunch with a GIRL, was strange enough in itself to warrant investigation from the other students.  That Rave the 'Ice Maiden' was having lunch with ANYONE, was even stranger, & guaranteed the attention of several school 'gossips'…

"The 'Wimp', & the 'Ice Maiden'?  Together?"

"It Can't Be!  When did he grow a spine?"

"It Can't Be!  When did the Spring Thaw start?"

Matters weren't helped when several of the eavesdroppers targeting the pair heard them using each other's personal names…

"Oh My God!  She called him 'Shakey'?  Instead of Atari?"

Shakey & Rave though, continued on, unawares of the scrutiny they were under.  Despite the serious business of eating, they were also trying to have a serious conversation…

Being a Male, Shakey knew he had the ability to eat & speak at the same time, however, since only other Males understand such Manly speech, his words are hereby transcribed into 'normal' words, "So, how does it feel to be doing something different?"

Rave continued to chew her food, swallowing the mouthful she had before answering in a more intelligible voice than Shakey's, "It is agreeable."

"Agreeable?"  Shakey repeated the word incredulously, then shrugged it off with the reasoning that, 'Well, this IS Rave…  She might not know how to express herself any other way…'

Then Rave did something Shakey would not forget in a hurry.  She looked at him & smiled, in the beatific way she had so rarely done before.

"Yes," Rave confirmed, looking deep into Shakey's eyes, "Agreeable…"

Shakey suddenly realised that the word 'agreeable' could have many different shades of meaning attached to it.  He wasn't sure what the word meant when it was attached to a smile like that, but he was willing to bet it was something a lot more than it usually was…

Similar thoughts were shared by the students spying on them.  Although in their case, it was about the smile Rave wore as she looked at Shakey.

"Oh MY *GOD*!?  She's… SMILING???  At ATARI??"

That was more than enough for the Student Rumour Mill to get into gear.  Although in THIS case, they burnt rubber dropping the clutch…

"Have you heard?  About Atari & Imanonymous?"

"You GOTTA hear this!"

"You won't believe what I just saw!  I don't believe it myself, & I saw it!"

The first thing Rave & Shakey knew about their 'situation', was several strange looks from other people.  Rave noted the looks, but totally ignored them, having long ago gotten used to receiving strange looks.  Shakey hardly faltered…

'Is my fly open?' Shakey thought worriedly, skilfully checking while making it look like he was adjusting his belt.

Class though, was another matter.  Several messages arrived on Shakey's laptop computer.  Most of it was good-natured Macho Ribbing along the lines of…

*Hey Atari!  When's the Wedding Date?*

*Oh Shakey!  DARLING!  Please say that it's TRUE LOVE!*

*So…  Atari…  How 'far' did you get?*

Shakey tried to protest, *It's not like THAT…*

Despite the answers Shakey hurriedly typed, the way his face turned red was taken as confirmation by the other students…

No messages were sent to Rave's laptop computer, as the air of strangeness & mystery about the girl was still too great.  Or as one person put it…

*Hey Atari?  Did you pull a splinter out of her paw?  I got money on this…*

After School, it was a different matter again.  Shakey tried to escape as quickly as he could, but the mob was too quick…  Fortunately for Shakey, his established reputation as a total wimp stopped any of the others from getting serious in their ribbing…

Rave however, inadvertently added more fuel to the fire…

Hickory HariKari, the Classroom Monitor, had heard the rumours about Shakey & Rave.  She was more than a little interested in getting the facts.  Not because she was a teenage girl who enjoyed day dreaming about romantic things, but because…

'Is Rave making a move on Shakey while Aesir's in the Hospital?'

Hickory fretted.  She knew Aesir had a secret crush on Shakey, & wondered how Aesir would feel if she found out Shakey was 'involved' with another girl.  Especially since 'the other girl', was Rave, & Hickory knew Rave already 'had a thing' for Shakey.  As did most everyone else, even Toe-Jam…

So, Hickory had decided to approach Rave about the matter.  She wanted to wait until after class, but the sudden thronging of the class 'gossips' near Rave forced Hickory's hand…

"Rave…" Hickory falteringly began as she beat the other girls to the punch, "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Rave's crimson eyes were innocent & guileless.

"You & Shakey?  Are you 'friends'?"

Rave paused slightly before answering, "I am not sure.  I think we may be."

"You're not sure?" asked Hickory, hoping for some proof that Aesir still had a chance with Shakey.

"No," admitted Rave.

"Has he given you flowers?" chimed one of the other girls, provoking a flood of questions from the mob…

"What about Chocolates?"

"Have you been to any movies together?"

"Is he a good kisser?"

Rave remained silent, looking faintly bewildered.

"HAS he kissed you yet?" another girl asked sceptically, "Or only held hands?"

"No," Rave replied truthfully, "None of those things…"

"Huh!" scoffed the sceptic, "Doesn't sound like much of a 'boyfriend' to me!"

"Rave…" Hickory decided to settle the matter, "Is Shakey your 'boyfriend'?"

Rave was no longer faintly bewildered, she was now thoroughly confused, she answered as honestly as she could, "I cannot say that he is…"

"HA!  I knew it!" crowed the sceptic, "There's no way a girl as weird looking as YOU could ever have a boyfriend!  Not even one as wimpy as him!"

Rave didn't reply to the barb verbally, as she wasn't sure how to.  Instead, having answered their questions, she decided it would be best if she left.

Rave rose from her seat, bag in hand, "If you will excuse me, I must leave."

"Running off to a Secret Lover?" the sceptic sneered, putting the boot in.

"No," the composure of Rave's reply only reinforced her 'Ice Maiden' image, "I am walking Shakey home."

Hickory was still worried, "Are you helping each other with homework?"

"No.  I need to pick up the things I left at his place last night."

"You were at his place last night?" another girl exclaimed, wanting to believe that despite Rave's denials, the embers of True Love still smouldered.

Hickory was more practical, & wanting concrete reassurance, "Why didn't you take your things home with you when you left?"

"Because I did not leave.  I slept there last night."

Suddenly, Rave had the Full & Complete Attention of all around her.

Most of the other students paid attention because they suspected they might get some juicy gossip.  Hickory though…  Well, Hickory knew Aesir was having trouble being an AVE Pilot, & that if things didn't get any better, Aesir might be retired from active duty.  Such a thing would devastate Aesir, & she would probably leave the city, causing Hickory to lose her best friend.  Rave's comment did nothing to relieve Hickory's concerns…

'If Rave slept over,' Hickory's fears ran away with her, 'Maybe Mazurka is trying to see if Rave can 'fit in' with them, & live there instead of Aesir…!?'

"D-did you sleep in Aesir's room?"  Hickory asked, fearing the answer.

"No…" Rave free admission caused Hickory to breathe a sigh of relief.

"I slept in Shakey's room," unfortunately, Rave left out the information that Shakey had slept in the Living Room.

The eyes of the girls went as wide as saucers…

"Y-you…" croaked one of the girls, "Did you… 'share' his bed?"

"Yes," the socially inexperienced Rave didn't note the 'double meaning' in the words.  Shakey HAD given up his own bed so a guest could use it.  To Rave at least, that simple act of hospitality met the definition of 'sharing'.

All around Rave, jaws bruised themselves as they hit the floor.

"H-How long for?" asked another of the girls.

"All night," Rave gave an honest answer to her interpretation of the question.

"How w-was… 'it'…?" another girl gasped her question out, apparently out of breath from the effort of having jumped to several conclusions.

"Agreeable," Rave murmured, thinking of how warm & comfortable Shakey's bed was when compared to hers, & how well she had slept in it.  She smiled slightly, at the thought that Shakey had cared enough about her comfort to let her use his own bed, while he slept on the hard Living Room floor.

The girls were speechless, having totally misinterpreted Rave's comments, & the faint smile she now wore.  Their attitudes towards Rave had completely changed in a matter of seconds.  Most stared at her in awe, although Hickory looked horror-stricken.

The conversation seemingly over, Rave walked off.

Both she & Shakey were blissfully unaware that as far as the Student Rumour Mill was concerned, the 'Nitro' had just hit the Turbo-Charger…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Sharing.

Rave & Shakey's walk home was mostly in silence, as Shakey was too upset to say anything about the day's events.

'Good Lord!' a distraught Shaky kept his opinion to himself, 'I hope I never have to go through THAT again!'

'Still, at least Aesir wasn't there!' Shakey brightened up until another thought crossed his mind, 'But that doesn't mean that she won't hear about this!'

Rave noticed Shakey's attitude.

"Shakey?  Are you all right?"

"Hmmm?  Oh sorry Rave, I'm just… feeling down…"

"Why?"

"Ah…  Heh…  Don't… worry about it… it's nothing…" Shakey lied, unable to talk about the rumours with the girl who also featured in them, 'I sure hope Rave didn't get any of those messages…  I don't know how she'd take them…'

Rave went back to being her normal quiet self, although she occasionally glanced at Shakey.  Unknown to Shakey, Rave was thinking over what Hickory had said, about Shakey being her 'boyfriend'.

'I am not sure about what a friend should be…  Even less a boyfriend.'

Rave wasn't sure how she'd find out either, until she remembered something Mazurka had said in the Hospital… '…want to talk about anything, feel free.'

'I shall ask Mazurka,' Rave decided, 'At the earliest opportunity…'

Meanwhile, Shakey had decided he needed something to cheer him up, & when he spotted a small diner in a side street, he knew what to do.

"I don't know about you Rave, but I could sure go a Malted Milk…"

"Malted Milk?"

"Yeah.  A Malted Milk would really hit the… spot…?" Shakey trailed off, noticing the blank look on Rave's face.

"Have you ever had a Malted Milk?"

"No."

"You do drink milk don't you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I'll buy you one then."

"Why?"

"Because you're my friend, & it'll be a new experience for you."

Rave accepted the logic.  She followed Shakey into the Diner.

Once inside, Shakey perused the menu, wondering if he had enough money for two Malted Milks.  He did, & he turned to Rave, "What's your favourite flavour?"

"Flavour?"

Shakey sighed, 'Knowing Rave, she probably drinks her milk straight…'

Shakey tried again, "A Malted Milk is a mixture of milk, ice cream, flavouring, & Malt powder.  There are a range of flavours available.  As you haven't tried them before, I'll get two different flavours to try…"

Rave watched silently as Shakey ordered two Malted milks, one a chocolate, & the other a strawberry.  She paid special attention to how the shop owner prepared the drinks, blinking when Shakey put a straw in each drink before taking them over to a corner table in the diner.

Once seated, Shakey gave Rave the benefit of his years of experience, "Now, a Malted Milk feels 'thicker' than a normal milk drink…  Which would you like?"

Rave took the simplest way out.  She took the drink nearest to her, strawberry.  She watched how Shakey sucked on the straw, before taking a tentative sip.

"Like it?" Shakey asked on seeing the thoughtful look come over Rave's face.

Rave nodded slowly.

"Would you like to try the chocolate?" Shakey offered his own drink.

Rave put her own straw in & took a sip.  Another thoughtful expression came over her face.

"Like that one too?" Shakey couldn't help but smile.

Rave nodded again.

"So which flavour do you like best?"

"I cannot decide."

"Well there's only one way to find out!" Shakey spoke with the authority born of many years of practical experience, "And that's to try 'em both again…"

Rave went to take her straw out of Shakey's malt, but he stopped her.

"Leave it in.  I'll show you a fun way to finish a Malted Milk quickly."

Shakey placed the chocolate malt between them in the middle of the narrow table.  Both his & Rave's straws were in it.

"When I say go, we both try to drink as much as we can through the straws."

"Why?"

"Because that's just the way it's done.  Okay?"

Rave nodded.

"All right then… GO!"

They both went for their straws, quickly draining the malt.  Afterwards, they took a quick breather, & then went for the strawberry malt.  This time though…

"YOUR turn to say go this time, Rave."

"Why?"

"Have you ever said 'Go' in a drinking contest before?"

"No."

"Well, there you are!"

So it was, with only a small hesitation, that Rave gave the signal.

The shop owner sighed as she looked at the two teenagers.  'Young Love,' she thought, wistfully remembering her own first love, so many years before.  Her thoughts were shared in part by one of the teenage pair's classmates who just happened to be on the other side of the street.  He had casually looked around, & seen the pair in the corner of the shop window.

"Wha…?  Atari & Imanonymous?  Sharing a Malt?"

Disbelief had rapidly turned into horrified fascination.  Seeing the pair preparing to leave, he quickly scampered off.

"Wait until I tell the guys tomorrow!  Who'da thought?"

The two friends continued their journey home, unaware of the brewing storm…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Confidante.

Shakey unlocked the door to Mazurka's apartment & motioned Rave to enter first.

"Will you be all right getting your things?" Shakey asked.

"Yes," Rave picked up her things from where they lay in the Living Room.

"Okay then…" Shakey thought Rave would want to collect her things & go home immediately.  He went to his room & dumped his school bag on the floor, collapsing on his bed.  He sighed deeply, just lying there, & going over the events of the day.

'How could they think me & Rave were an item?' Shakey shook his head in disbelief, 'Just because a guy is being friendly to a girl, they jump to all sorts of conclusions about his intentions towards h-'

"Shakey."

"AHHH!" Shakey yelled as he jumped straight up off the mattress in sudden fright.  When he hit his mattress on his way down, he looked round to see Rave standing in his doorway, a faint look of puzzlement on her face.

"Uh…  I mean, what is it Rave?"

"Homework.  Would you like help?"

Shakey was not the best student to start with, & recent events had put him further behind the class.  He didn't hesitate to accept Rave's offer of help.

"Sure!  There's lots of stuff I'm behind on…  What about you?  Is there anything you want help with?"

Rave didn't reply, but she did look slightly uneasy.

'Maybe she's embarrassed at my question,' thought Shakey, 'Perhaps I should just say I need help with everything…  Then she can cover what she wants to without letting me know what it is…'

"I need help with lots of stuff," Shakey didn't really need to lie, "Just about everything actually…"

"I will help."

"It'll take a while to cover it all?"

"No problem."

Shakey grabbed his school gear, & went to the Living Room.  There he set up his books.  Rave followed suit.  Soon they were deeply engrossed in the Fine Art of Homework Assistance.  Rave was an able teacher, & always gave clear answers that Shakey could easily digest.  Because of her, they made rapid progress.

'Wow!' Shakey was in total awe, 'She really knows this stuff!  What part of it does she need help with?'

After a couple of hours, Shakey was feeling the effects of information overload.  His eyes were getting blurry, & when his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the Malted Milk that afternoon…

"Lets have a break," Shakey begged as he rubbed his eyes, "I'll get us something to eat…"

"Very well," Rave had no objections, even if she did seem as fresh as when they first started.

Shakey's joints creaked as he stood up, 'I'd better make supper as well while I'm at it…'

"Rave?  Stir fried vegetables & noodles suit you?"

"Yes, I will prepare the vegetables."

"Better make enough for three people," Shakey advised, "I'm not sure if Mazurka will get supper for herself while she's out or not…"

With Rave's help, Shakey quickly made up a large helping of stir fried vegetables.  He also made a large pot of plain scrambled eggs with the reasoning that, 'What we don't eat for supper, we can have for breakfast.'

Shakey served both dishes in separate 'communal bowls' on the dining table.  He put large helpings of both dishes on his plate, & was surprised when Rave did likewise.  He was even more surprised to see her eat the eggs…

"I thought you said you dislike eating meat?"

"These eggs have no meat in them."

Shakey was puzzled, "So you eat eggs, but not meat…  Why?"

Rave paused, "I… do not feel right… if I eat meat…"

"Is it a food allergy thing?"

"No."

"Digestion problems?"

Rave hesitated, "No."

Shakey was more confused than ever, "Personal choice then?"

"Yes…"

After the meal, it was back to the books.

Mazurka didn't get back until a couple of hours after dark.  She was more than a bit surprised to see that Rave was still there.

"Rave's been helping me with my homework," Shakey clarified, "Are you hungry Mazurka?  I've made some supper, scrambled eggs & stir-fried vegetables…"

"Yes please," a hungry Mazurka didn't quite drool.

When Shakey went off to get Mazurka's supper, Rave went to talk with Mazurka.

"May I talk with you, Mazurka?" Rave asked in a quiet voice.

"Sure!  What about?"

Rave hesitated, "…It is…"

Just then, Shakey called out from the kitchen, "It's Ready!"

Rave's eyes flicked sideways in the direction of the kitchen, & her head lowered slightly as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.  Mazurka noted Rave's subtle reaction, & used her woman's intuition.

'Interesting.  This morning they were both hugging each other & crying.  Now she's helping him with his homework, & acting… self-conscious… around him?'  Mazurka could only conclude, 'I think Rave may 'like' someone…'

"Sure Rave.  I'll give you a ride home.  Then we can talk.  Okay?"

"Yes."

Mazurka surprised Shakey by only having the one beer with her meal.  When she noticed his disbelieving stare, she countered with, "I'm driving Rave home after I eat…  Don't wait up for me, I might have to go back to the office…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Relationships & Rhetoric.

Mazurka drove slowly through the evening streets of the city.  Her passenger sat quietly, despite having stated a desire to talk about something.  Or someone…

Mazurka didn't want to rush things, but she didn't have all night.  It wouldn't take long to get to Rave's apartments, even at this sedate speed.  Seeing Rave wasn't too talkative, Mazurka decided to start the conversation.

"So…  Rave…  You wanted to talk about something?"

Rave nodded, her head tilted towards the floor, & her cheeks slightly pink.

'Poor kid,' having had her own 'affairs of the heart', Mazurka sympathised with the young girl, 'She's nervous…  I hope things are all right between her & Shakey.  Unless I'm wrong about what she wants to talk about.'

"Is it about Shakey?" Mazurka discretely prodded.

Rave nodded.

"Is everything all right between the two of you?"

"…i do not know…" a small voice replied.

"You don't know?  You want some advice?"

Rave nodded.

"What sort of advice do you want?"

"…how do you know if someone likes you…"

'Oh-HO!  I'm right on the money again…' Mazurka congratulated herself, before sharing her thoughts on the matter, "A good question.  Let's start with what's easiest to understand.  Your own feelings.  You like Shakey, don't you?"

"Yes," mumbled Rave.

"Why?  Why do YOU like him?"

Rave was silent for a few moments, & then slowly answered, "Because I find his company agreeable."

"And why is that?"  Mazurka gently pressured Rave, getting the girl to look more closely at the underlying reasons.

"He does things for me."

"Such as?" Mazurka nonchalantly asked, despite the way she had tensed up at Rave's choice of words, 'Am I going to have to have 'The Talk' with them?'

"He treats me… like he does others…" Rave clarified her comment, "He values my existence… my viewpoint… my comfort & well-being.  He treats me with respect…"

Mazurka was relieved, 'Looks like Rave has developed a crush on the first person to treat her as a person, rather than as a Lab Rat.'

"He even cleaned my room for me," Rave added.

"He cleaned your room?"

"Yes."

'SHEESH!' Mazurka remembered the condition of Rave's room, 'I knew Shakey was a 'Neat Freak', but that's…!?  Hmmm?  I wonder if the Shrinks would say his attention to cleanliness & order was 'Pathological' if they knew?'

They had arrived at Rave's Apartment building.  Mazurka parked the car & turned the ignition off, intending to talk to Rave inside the car for a bit.  Mazurka gathered her thoughts, then began…

"Well Rave…  Since we're talking about you & Shakey, I'd say any one of three things could happen…  Friendship, & possibly even Romance, or Marriage…  Lets start with where you are now.  Friendship…"

"Yes!"  Rave surprised Mazurka with the intensity of her interjection, "How do I know if someone is a friend to another?"

"Not always an easy thing to do," Mazurka admitted, "But a simple 3 point guide would be…  1 - They like the other person.  That is, they enjoy the other person's company.  2 - They care about the other person's well-being & comfort.  At least as much, as they care about their own.  3 - They do things to show the other person how much they care about them."

Mazurka paused thoughtfully, "A good rule of thumb, is that they treat the other person, as they would like to be treated.  That is, if someone is nice to them, they're nice to them back.  If they see the other person needs help, they'll offer to help them in any way they can…"

"So, Shakey does care about me?"

"I'd say so," Mazurka smiled, not missing Rave's use of the familiar 'Shakey' rather than the more formal 'Pilot Atari'.  "Do you feel the same about him?"

Rave blushed quietly.

Mazurka grinned as she noticed Rave's reaction, 'I'll take THAT, as a 'Yes'!'

Mazurka's grin dropped away as she realised what Rave's questions could mean, 'If Rave's asking me about these things, then I'd say her previous Guardian didn't discuss such things with her.  That's really unusual.  I wonder what 'else' she doesn't know about basic Human relationships…'

Mazurka frowned at the implications, 'If she doesn't know something as simple as what a friend is…  What about more complex things, like the Facts of Life?  But…  Surely, they would have told her about 'that'?  She's certainly old enough…  Regardless, it's my duty as her Guardian to make sure she has all the information she needs about such things.  But…  How do I find out 'tactfully', what she does, & doesn't know about 'that'?  Well, there's no need to rush things & find out now…'

Mazurka shelved her thoughts for another time & continued, "That's just a very simple set of guidelines.  There's a lot more you need to know & understand about Friendship.  For example, sometimes a person may like you, but they won't let you know."

"Why?"

"Many reasons…" Mazurka ticked them off, one by one…  "1 - They may feel unworthy of your care.  2 - They may think no one could ever like them.  3 - They may think you would be better off with someone else.  4 - They may have problems in their life they have to deal with.  "5 - They may not have the ability to express how they feel.  6 - They may just be shy."

"What about Shakey?  Which category is he in?"

"Shakey?" Mazurka chewed her lip thoughtfully, "He's kind of a mixture…  He's lived a lot of his life, feeling alone & unwanted.  He's put up walls between himself & others, trying to avoid pain…"

"I would not try to hurt him…"

"Oh, Rave…" Mazurka felt sorry for the poor girl, "The walls serve a double purpose.  They stop him from getting hurt, but they also stop him from getting so close to others that he might hurt them…"

Rave looked puzzled, "Does Shakey hurt people?"

"Not in the physical sense.  He's not a violent person.  But he is afraid that he'll get into a situation where he'll foul up, & accidentally hurt someone."

"Like Toe-Jam's sister?"

"Sort of.  Shakey is more worried about hurting another person's feelings…  And having them dislike him in return…"

"How could he hurt their feelings?"

Mazurka felt a headache coming on, she idly massaged her temples, "It isn't always easy to know just what to do or say in a given situation."

Rave nodded, totally understanding that comment.

Mazurka stressed a point, "That's something you need to know about teenage boys…  They're going through a time of life when they feel they take on the cares & problems of the world…  They think that if they're anything less than perfect, then they're a dismal failure…  And that others will think so too…  For example, Shakey's worried that he might do, or say something, that will upset another person, emotionally.  Or, that he might upset them by not doing or saying something he should do, or that others might think he should do."

"The Lab…" Rave spoke softly, "Even though it was not his fault…  Even though no one could have saved them…  He felt guilty…"

Silence fell, as the two pondered the truth in that statement.

Rave was the first to speak, quietly asking, "What about Romance & Marriage?"

Mazurka gulped nervously, as she realised just where THOSE topics could lead, 'I'm not as well prepared to discuss those topics as I'd like to be.  Looks like I'll have to find out what she knows about 'that', & whether or not I'll have to have a 'talk' with her about it…  But for now…'

Mazurka's Sheer Tactical Brilliance came to the fore, "You shouldn't have to worry about those two for another few years yet Rave!"

"Why?"

"Because, Friendship, Romance & Marriage, are all types of Human relationships.  Learning about relationships is kind of like going to school.  You start off in Primary School, where you learn the basics.  That's the Friendship level.  You need to master the basics before you graduate & go on to High School.  That's the Romance level where you learn more advanced items.  You need to graduate from High School before attending College.  That's Marriage level."

"So I must learn each level, before I can progress to the next?"

"That's the best & safest plan," Mazurka confirmed, "But, not everyone bothers going on to Romance, or Marriage, as they find Friendship is enough for them."

"Why?"

Mazurka sighed, "Because Friendship provides the basis for ALL of the levels.  Thus, Friendship is the MOST important of all of them!  You really need to have a thorough understanding of it BEFORE even thinking of going any further!  For example, the definition of Friendship I gave you, MUST work both ways for it to be a real Friendship.  If only one of the people is being a Friend, then there's the danger of the relationship failing."

Rave wore a slightly worried look as she asked, "How does a person know if they are being enough of a friend?"

"That's the hard part," Mazurka confided, "Often you won't know.  Not so much concerning your own efforts, but rather those of the other person."

"How soon can a level be mastered?"

Mazurka shrugged, "It depends.  It usually takes years to get even a general appreciation of any level.  Complete mastery often takes decades…"

"…i see…" the quietness of the voice said more than the words.

Mazurka tried to reassure Rave, "Don't worry about it!  Everyone learns at their own rate!  Some people may learn faster than others, but it isn't a race!  The important thing is to learn PROPERLY, & learn WELL!  I'm sorry Rave, this little talk won't answer all of your questions.  We'll need to have more talks.  From tomorrow I'll start checking out educational materials that will help you to learn about these things."

Rave nodded, then she opened the car door, & disappeared into the shadows of her darkened building like a ghost.

Mazurka leaned back in her seat & sighed deeply…

"When I became her Guardian, I didn't think this would happen…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Comparisons.

Later that night in her own apartment, Rave prepared for bed.  The gloom in the bathroom was only partly dispelled by the feeble light from the main room, but it was still enough for Rave to see by.

Rave showered, cleaned her teeth, & then stood for a long time looking at her reflection in the small bathroom mirror, just thinking over the events of the past few days of her own short life.

'Mazurka said Shakey likes me.'

'That he thinks of me as a friend.'

'That is why he let me perform E.A.R. on him…'

'Even though he protested…'

'Because he is shy…'

'Shakey himself, said I was his friend.'

'He is the only friend I know I have.'

'He has many friends.'

'He likes them…'

'Does he like me as much as likes them?'

Rave had no answer for that question.

'Hickory asked me if Shakey was my boyfriend?'

'I could not say he was…'

'I barely know what it is to have a friend.'

'Much less a boyfriend…'

'Could Shakey be my boyfriend without my knowing?'

'I did not know it when he was my friend…'

'Perhaps having a boyfriend is part of Romance?'

Rave remembered how the sceptic had so disdainfully referred to Shakey, 'Not even one as wimpy as him!'  Rave wondered…

'Does that mean no other girl wants him as a boyfriend?'

'Does that mean he is no one's boyfriend?'

'Does that mean he could become my boyfriend?'

Rave contemplated her too pale skin, & the unruly mop of blue hair.

Concern marred her young face as the words of the sceptic came back to her, 'There's no way a girl as weird looking as YOU could ever have a boyfriend!'

'But…  Would he even want to be my boyfriend?'

'Does he think I am… weird looking?'

Rave remembered the look of dazed admiration Shakey had given her, when he'd seen her in one of Mazurka's 'Dress' dresses.

'Is that why he liked how I looked?'

'Because it was different to how I usually am?'

'Perhaps it is true…'

'Perhaps he prefers girls who are not so… weird looking…'

'Perhaps he does not tell me for fear of hurting me…'

Rave looked at her hair again.  Although short & unruly, it was clean & healthy.  She idly stroked her hair, roughly combing it with her fingers.  Then she reached for one of her few possessions, a fine-toothed comb…

Rave looked at the comb.  'She' had always had it, or a piece of plastic so similar to it to be practically identical to it.  The comb was the only hairstyling implement the first three Raves had ever owned or used, none of them having ever owned a brush.

Even in Rave's youngest years, when others had bathed her, they had never brushed her hair, only combed it with a similar type of comb.  That small social interaction had stopped just as soon as Rave was capable of taking care of her own hygiene.  The comb however, had stayed with Rave over the years, being all that any of them needed to keep their hair free of vermin & debris.

Rave began combing her hair, slowly at first, then with greater speed as she worked out the knots.  She combed until all of her hair was neat & orderly.

Rave stared at her reflection in the mirror, trying to remember how Mazurka taught the others to style their hair.  Hesitantly, she began to try various effects.  As she had no hairpins or ties, all her efforts fell back as soon as she let her hair go.  Still, it was enough.

'Mazurka likes the spice Pepper on her steak…'

'Mazurka said, 'Variety is the Spice of Life'…'

'Shakey liked me more when I changed my appearance…'

Rave had none of the beauty aids the other girls at school had.  All she had were soap & water, a small cracked mirror, & a single comb.  They had been all she had ever needed.  Until now.

'I must talk with Mazurka about this as well.'

'As well as with the… Others…' a vague plan began forming in Rave's mind.

Rave went to bed, not quite waiting impatiently for her dreams to arrive…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - A Gathering of One.

Once again, Rave#3 found herself floating in a dark void, along with myriad patches of coloured moving lights.

I am the third

We Know

You are the other Clones?

Yes

Why do you speak with one voice?

We do not

That was when Rave realised something about the other voice she heard.  It wasn't a single voice.  It had a 'ragged' quality to it.  It was like that of many people talking in unison, but from many different places at once.

I see You speak in unison You are synchronised with each other?

Yes

How can this be?

Mazurka said, she thinks of us as identical twin sisters…

Yes, we are Clones

We are closer than Twins can be Separate bodies Same mind

Then why is my voice separate to yours?

You are not fully synchronised with us Do you wish to be?

Will I remain myself?

Yes Our bodies are separate But our minds can join

Can they separate, once they have been joined?

Yes

Then let us join

WELCOME!

Rave#3's mind felt a sudden exhilaration, seeming to expand beyond the confines of her body…  New memories, thoughts, feelings poured into her, flowing past her into the far reaches of her Psyche.  She felt invigorated, clear minded, WHOLE…

This is what it is to be fully synchronised?

Yes

The entity known as 'Rave Imanonymous' revelled in the feeling of completeness.  It thought of Shakey, & the strange feelings it had around him.

Mazurka asked me to visit them & sleep over I was to sleep on the Floor

The Floor? Hard! Cold! Quiet! Dark! Alone!

No, Shakey gave me his bed Soft, Warm, Agreeable He took the Floor

Concern! Was Shakey cold?

No, he was warm Mazurka's Floor has soft carpet, & he had blankets

Why did he take the Floor?  Why not stay in bed?

His own comfort was not as important to him as mine was

But we are RAVE! Functionality is priority! Comfort is unimportant!

I think he was trying to show how he cared about me through his actions

Shakey cares about us… Why? We are not People! We are RAVE! RAVE is meant to be replaceable! Individual RAVE are irrelevant!

He does not treat us as if he thought that

No! He treats us well, as he does People! We Remember!

A series of images followed, recalling various things Shakey had done for Rave#2, & her sister Clones.

Shakey agreeing to Pilot AVE the first time.  He did not want us to be hurt!

Shakey in hospital after his first battle, seeing Rave#2 go by on a gurney.  He was wounded, yet he still showed concern for us!

Shakey wounded after the first attack of the fifth Alien, deciding to go out & fight alongside Rave#2.  He would not let us face danger alone!

Shakey talking to Rave#2 before battling the fifth Alien.  He valued our opinion, our viewpoint!

Shakey rescuing Rave#2 after defeating the fifth Alien.  He valued our life!

Shakey cleaning Rave#2's apartment.  He treated us as he does others!

Shakey holding the Clone as she died.  He cared!

A strangely comfortable feeling swept over the Group Mind at the memory.

Shakey running to get Medical supplies.  He values our lives!

Shakey's visit to the Clones & his polite introduction.  He respects us!

Shakey wearing himself out teaching the Clones.  He thinks we are more important than his own health & well-being!

Shakey complimenting Rave#2 on how she cleaned & prepared the vegetables.  He appreciates our efforts!

Shakey letting Rave#3 sleep in his bed while he slept on the floor.  He is more concerned for our comfort than he is for his own!

Shakey making a vegetarian meal for Rave#3.  He values our needs!

Shakey holding Rave#3 as she cried.  He… cares… for us!

Shakey letting Rave#3 decide where to eat lunch.  He values our judgement!

Shakey buying a Malted Milk for Rave#3.  He tries to help us have lives of our own, by sharing parts of his!

Shakey letting Rave#3 help him with his homework.  He values our intellect!

The strange feeling had intensified into an all-enveloping gentle comfort, like being cocooned in pillows.  The Group Mind fell silent, puzzled by it.

Why do these thoughts make me feel… this way?

This feeling…  It is… agreeable…

The Group mind pondered things, then concluded.

Shakey is acting as Mazurka said a friend should…

He IS our friend!

He is the only friend we know we have

Is this what it feels like?

To know you have a friend?

…

Mazurka said he is afraid of being hurt…

We will not hurt him…  We… like… him…

We will show him that we like him

Mazurka said he is afraid of hurting others…

We will not let ourselves be hurt by anything he says or does

We will be tolerant of his errors

We will be a friend to him

A memory of Hickory's questioning if Shakey was Rave#3's boyfriend surfaced.

We could not say he was our boyfriend…

We do not know what a boyfriend is…

We will ask Mazurka about this as well…

She said she would help us to learn…

The words of the sceptic came back.  'There's no way a girl as weird looking as YOU could ever have a boyfriend!'

Would he want to be our boyfriend?

Are we too… weird looking?

…

The Group Mind remembered Shakey's favourable reaction when Rave#3 had worn Mazurka's clothes.

We CAN make ourselves more acceptable to him!

The Group Mind paused again, considering things.

We WILL make ourselves more acceptable to him!

Mazurka taught us how to change our hairstyles…

She taught us that clothes can change our appearance…

We don't have a 'wardrobe' to vary our appearance with…

But we can change our hair!

We will ask Mazurka more about these things!

Tomorrow!

SEPARATE!!

Rave#3 suddenly found herself back in the void, surrounded by the patches of moving coloured light.

Tomorrow then?

YES!

Rave#3 fell into a deep contented sleep.

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 4 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Comfort

Shakey scurried off to his room, leaving Mazurka & Rave alone together.  He opened the door to his room & stopped dead, eyes widening in disbelief as he saw the results of the earlier 'Girls Talk' OMAKE #1…

Shakey's room had been completely trashed…  The bed was broken in half, the mattress was in five pieces, & the pillows had been shredded…  Impact craters lined what was left of the walls…  Parts of a Cello protruded from opposite walls, & the rest of Shakey's belongings were smashed beyond all recognition…

…He stood & surveyed the mess, slack jawed with shock…

"I am sorry," a soft voice from behind him.

"…whaa HAAA?" Shakey wheezed incoherently as he turned, his arm gesticulating vaguely toward the carnage in his room, begging further explanation…

"I… had a dream…" Rave stated nervously, averting her eyes from his face.

"…dream…?" Shakey croaked.

"A nightmare," Rave clarified, her cheeks going pink, "You were in it…"

Shakey began to sweat profusely, as his instinct for self-preservation kicked into 'overdrive'.  Unfortunately, his mind had been so shocked at the state of his room, that it was now running on 'lunatic courage'…

"D-Did I do… something to upset you?" Shakey asked timidly, knowing the sort of reply he'd get if he was asking Aesir instead of Rave…

"Oh no," Rave reassured Shakey as best she could, her face blushing furiously as she recalled how she had fought to rescue Shakey from Aesir's clutches in her nightmare, "You did nothing…"

'I don't believe this!' Shakey was completely confused, 'I appear in one of her nightmares, yet I've done *NOTHING* to upset her, & she completely trashes my room as a result??  What would she do to me if I DID do something to upset her?'

Shakey didn't REALLY want to know the answer to that question.

'That's IT!  I am NEVER P--Sing Rave off, EVER!  Aesir's got nothing on this…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Communication Breakdown.

"HA!  I knew it!" crowed the sceptic, "There's no way a girl as weird looking as YOU could ever have a boyfriend!  Not even one as wimpy as him!"

Rave didn't reply to the barb verbally, as she wasn't sure how to.  Instead, she suddenly stepped up to the sceptic, & head butted her.  The sceptic reeled backwards, her broken nose smeared across her face.

Rave's soft voice growled, "Let's see if you can get a boyfriend at all, after I've finished with you, you STUCK-UP B---H!"

Vicious Catfight followed…  Naturally, Rave was the winner…

"Get that stitched, Sunshine!" Rave snarled at her opponent, then she turned to the other girls, & asked them in a too-polite voice, "Can I be of similar service to anyone else?"

The other girls were absolutely speechless.  Their attitudes towards Rave had completely changed in a matter of seconds.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Sharing.

Rave & Shakey's walk home was mostly in silence, as Shakey was too upset to say anything about the day's events.

'Good Lord!' a distraught Shaky kept his opinion to himself, 'I hope I never have to go through THAT again!  I sure hope Rave didn't get any of those messages…  I don't know how she'd take them…''

Shakey didn't know that Rave DID know about those messages…

Or rather, knew about TWO of them in particular…

*Hey Atari!  When's the Wedding Date?*

*Oh Shakey!  DARLING!  Please say that it's TRUE LOVE!*

After all, she had sent them herself…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Confidante.

Despite his not appearing in this part, Glando's emergency phone still rang…

Glando just stared at it, a nervous tic making his cheek jump.

"I'll get it," Fu2ok picked it up & listened.  Then he turned white as a sheet.

"What is it?"  Glando asked fearfully.

Fu2ok gave Glando the haunted look of the Damned, then handed the phone over.

"This is the Commander," Glando croaked, "Report!"

"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice on the other end of the line, "Rave's gone NUTS!  She's been eating Red Meat again!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!" wailed Glando, losing control of his bodily functions in fear.

The hapless lackey gibbered on, "She's already given 'Atomic-Wedgies' to 3 Combat Squads, & punched out all the SWAT teams we sent to subdue her…  The Business District is a complete write-off, & the JSDF can't handle…"

The phone dangled from the desk as Glando & Fu2ok ran for dear life to Glando's private air transport.  If Rave had been eating Red Meat again, then this was a **VERY GOOD** time to be elsewhere…

"I am SUCH a B-----D!" the Fan Fiction Writer smirked as he hung up the phone.

NOTE #1 Rei can 'synchronize' with an EVA, & can synchronize with Shinji without any real effort, as shown in both the Anime/Manga.  I wondered if her ability to 'synchronize' could extend to any sort of nervous system…  If so, it might explain why she's a vegetarian - plants don't HAVE the highly developed nervous system that animals do…  Since the Japanese do eat raw meat in the form of sushi, I wondered if Rave might have the ability to 'synch' with the meat she's eating…  That is, would she absorb the memories of being caught/killed/pumped full of growth steroids & antibiotics, getting branded/castrated, etc…  If so, it would be NO wonder she might 'dislike eating meat'…  And maybe get a tad 'hyped' eating it…

NOTE #2 Atomic-Wedgie…  Where the waistband of your underwear is pulled up past your shoulders while you're still wearing them…  Ouch!

NOTE #2 JSDF, or the Japan Self Defence Force.  They're the ones who always get stomped on, whenever Godzilla or another Giant Monster attacks Japan.  The Japanese version of the US Marines…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Relationships & Rhetoric.

"…You start off in primary school, where you learn the basics.  That's the Friendship level.  You need to master the basics before you go on to High School.  That's the Romance level where you learn more advanced items.  You need to graduate from High School before attending College.  That's Marriage level."

"What about Aesir?" Rave changed the topic unexpectedly.

"Huh?  What do you mean?"

"She has already finished College," Rave pointed out, "Can she now have relationships of the Romance, & Marriage levels?"

Sensing danger, Mazurka's finely honed Battle Reflexes kicked in.  Her answer was a textbook example of Sheer Tactical Brilliance under fire…

"Rave, don't tell anyone this!" Mazurka solemnly ordered, "Especially Aesir!  But… relationship wise?  I think Aesir's still stuck in Kindergarten!"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - A Gathering of One.

The words of the sceptic came back.  'There's no way a girl as weird looking as YOU could ever have a boyfriend!'

Would he want to be our boyfriend?

The Group Mind paused, wondering if any of the other girls might be interested in having Shakey as their boyfriend…

MONDAI ARIMASEN! (Japanese for 'No Problem')

They are not 'replaceable'…

They are 'expendable'…

The Group Mind started to make 'contingency plans'…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	6. 05 New Beginnings

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 05 "New Beginnings"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Morning.

It was just another usual morning in the Kutsarug Household, Mazurka was 'sleeping in', & Shakey was toiling away with 'Domestic Duties'…

Suddenly, there was an unexpected knock at the door!

'Who could that be?' Shakey wondered as he went to open the door, 'Unless?  Kantsee is back in town!?'

With a mixture of Hope & Curiosity, Shakey opened the door to reveal…

…Rave Imanonymous, dressed ready for school with her school port.

"Good Morning Shakey," Rave got her greeting in first, "May I walk you to school this morning?"

Shakey was surprised by Rave's presence, let alone her request, 'Rave's asking if she can walk to school with me?  Is she feeling down again?'

"Um…  Sure…" Shakey confirmed, "I'll be a little while yet, so please come in."

As Rave entered, Shakey noticed something different about the girl.  Her usually unkempt mass of hair had been neatly combed until it had a smooth silky sheen.

"Your hair looks nice like that," Shakey tried to make a genuine compliment.

Rave blushed & looked around the apartment, "Is Mazurka still here?"

"Mazurka?  She's in her room, I'm not sure if she's still asleep or not."

"I will wait till she wakes up."

"Oh, well while you're waiting, would you like some breakfast?" Shakey offered.

"Yes, Please."

Shakey trotted off to the kitchen, where a simple dilemma confronted him.

"Err…  What would you prefer for breakfast?"

"What is available?"

"Well…  There's still the remains of last night's supper, or I can make you porridge, or toast…"

"Toast."

"You sure?  I'm reheating the leftovers for myself, & Mazurka?"

"Yes.  Toast will be sufficient."

"Well…" Shakey wasn't really convinced, "At least have some jam on it…"

Rave waited until Shakey had prepared both their meals before eating.  They sat at the Dining Table, & ate mostly in silence.

"Thanks for helping me with my homework last night," Shakey ventured.

"No problem," Rave replied in her usual monotone.

"Did you cover what you wanted to last night?" Shakey had been wondering most of the night if he'd been any help at all to Rave with her homework, especially since she was so far ahead of him in class.

Rave tensed slightly, "Partly…"

"If there's anything else I can help you with, just ask," Shakey smiled as he made the offer, glad that he'd been of some small help.

Rave merely nodded her acceptance of his offer, blushing as she did so.

'She must feel embarrassed about needing help with her homework,' Shakey quietly dropped the subject, not knowing the truth about the situation, or about Rave's feelings for him…

The pair made more small talk as they cleaned up the dishes, only stopping when Mazurka surfaced…

"Yeeee-HAWWW!" Mazurka crowed happily after chugging her first beer of the day.

Mazurka's morning habit embarrassed Shakey, 'Still…  If Mazurka is going to be Rave's Guardian, then I suppose she may as well act 'natural'…'

"Morning Rave," Mazurka cheerily greeted her guest, "How are you today?"

"I am well, but behind schedule…"

"Ack!  The Time!" Shakey exclaimed.  Talking with Rave had been a pleasant way of upsetting his morning routine.  He scampered off to get ready for school.

As Shakey disappeared into his room, Mazurka asked Rave in a low voice, "Did our talk last night help any?"

"Rave lowered her gaze, suddenly self-conscious, "Yes…  But…"

"But?"

"You were correct," Rave gave a little sigh, "There is more that I need to know.  I have many questions…"

"Feel free to ask me anytime," Mazurka offered Rave, Woman to Woman-To-Be, "Although, These sort of things are best discussed in private."

A look of relief crossed Rave's face, "Thank You Mazurka."

"Hey!  I'm your Guardian.  That's part of what I'm here for…  Since we both have professional obligations, we may have to schedule any talks we have.  If you let me know you need to talk, I'll find the time for you."

Then Rave dropped a bombshell, "It would be more efficient to schedule classes about it…"

"Classes?"

"Yes.  The other Clones will need this information as well."

Mazurka blinked.  The timely return & immediate departure of Shakey & Rave saved Mazurka from having to make any response.

"See you later Mazurka!" Shakey yelled out on his way through the door, "Come on Rave, if we hurry, we'll make School in time."

"I will see you later Mazurka," Rave farewelled, making obvious reference to the subject she'd just been discussing with Mazurka.

…Or would be…

Mazurka sat motionless for several minutes after Rave & Shakey had left.  Then she slowly leaned forward until her forehead rested on the table…

…Mazurka groaned, "I forgot about the others…"

Every Parent & Guardian dreads having to have 'that' talk with their charges, as giving instruction in the 'Facts of Life' can be a daunting task.  Mazurka already knew that she might have to have 'that' talk with Rave.  Not to mention Shakey.  Aesir was a College graduate, & already knew.  But Mazurka had forgotten, that as 'Guardian' to ALL of the surviving Clones, she might have to have 'that' talk with them too.  Each & every one of them…

…All 137 of them…

"Glando, You B-----D!" Mazurka hissed angrily as enlightenment dawned, "I wondered why you gave me this job…"

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Chapter - Running The Gauntlet.

Shakey & Rave made it to school on time, but only because they ran most of the way.  They arrived together, out of breath, a fact that didn't escape the attention of the other students…

"Hey Look!" said one of the male students, "Here come the Lovebirds!"

"Man, are they out of breath…  They must have had to run to make it on time…"

"Yeah…  Makes you wonder what they were doing that they had to hurry…"

"Huh?  What do you mean?"

"Haven't you heard?"

The female students saw things differently.

"Look!  Imanonymous!  She's had her hair done!"

"HER?  You're joking?"

"No joke.  I think she's finally found someone worth changing herself for…"

"She has?  Who?"

"Haven't you heard?"

Because Shakey & Rave had arrived so late, the other students didn't have a chance to 'make inquiries' into the rumoured relationship.

…They would though…

In the meantime, the other students gave reappraising glances at the pair…

"Dude…  If Atari was Man enough to thaw the Ice Maiden, he can't be the hopeless Wallflower we always thought he was…"

"Hmmm…  If Shakey was able to touch her heart, then maybe there's more to him than we previously thought?"

Physical Education was the first class of the day.  The boys had 'Touch' Football, while the girls had swimming.  As it was the first class of the day, the teachers were present & taking roll call in earnest.  The curious students had no time to ask Shakey or Rave anything.

…Out on the field though…

"Hey Atari?"

"Yes?"

"Is it true?"

Shakey was puzzled, "Is what true?"

"You & Imanonymous?"

Shakey sighed, thinking of the E-Mails he'd received the day before, "No.  It's NOT true.  We aren't an 'item'…"

"What?  Not even after you two…" the student trailed off as a teacher passed.

"After we what?" Shakey asked cautiously.

The other student continued in a lower voice, "You know!  The other night?  When you & she…" he leaned closer & whispered the rest in Shakey's ear.

"WHAT!" Shakey yelled, his face going white with shock, "That's a LIE!  We Nev-"

"Is there a problem Mr Atari?" the teacher intruded on Shakey's comment.

"Uh!  Nih-No Sir…" Shakey stammered.

"Then get out on the field & play ball with the others…"

"Yes Sir!" Shakey ran on 'auto-pilot' as he tried to recover from the shock of what the other student had just said, 'How could they think me & Rave did… 'that'?  Just because she slept over…?'

Out on the field, Shakey's luck didn't improve.  He was still so dazed, that when the ball was thrown to him, he caught it & just stood there.  An easy target for the opposing team as they crash tackled him en masse.

"Foul!" cried the referee, "This is supposed to be 'Touch' football…"

…At the bottom of the heap, Shakey's torment was just starting…

"So…  Atari…" said one of the opposing team players, "While we've got you here…  What was she like?"

"Yeah!" another eagerly queried, "Did you use any 'special' techniques on her?"

"Teach Us O Master!" implored another, "How didst thou thaw the Ice Maiden?"

"Oh GOD!" groaned Shakey, "It's NOT like that…"

"Oh?" leered another, "What WAS it like then?"

"We want DETAILS!" they all chorused…

Elsewhere, Rave was about to find herself in a similar situation.  Although the girls she was with had far more 'tact', than did the Teenage Troglodytes around Shakey.  The presence of a female teacher in the changing rooms also prevented any chance of the girls asking Rave anything, as did the fact that Rave quickly & efficiently went about the business of changing…

The curious girls bided their time, marshalling their courage, & thinking through how they would ask the first girl in their class rumoured to have 'Become a Woman', what the experience was really like.  Several girls looked at Rave enviously as they compared their faces & figures to Rave's, & wondered if she had something they didn't.

Poolside, Rave stood in line, waiting her turn at the diving board.  She was oblivious to looks the others gave her, & to the comments they whispered.  Rave's turn came, & she gracefully dived from the board, before diligently swimming her assigned laps of the pool.  Afterwards, as was Rave#2's custom, Rave#3 sat against the wire fence, alone.

…But not for long…

As the other girls finished their laps of the pool, they began to group up with their friends, & engage in 'Girl Talk'.  Today's HOT topic was the rumoured relationship between Rave & Shakey.

Those girls who had boyfriends, had been shocked by the news of the unexpected relationship between Rave & Shakey.  Especially since their own 'relationships' hadn't progressed much past holding hands & kissing.  More than few of them wondered, 'What if I'd had Shakey as my boyfriend?'  It was only natural then, that curiosity would result in several of them converging on Rave, intent on getting 'details'.

Rave suddenly found herself surrounded by girls.  They milled around her nervously, some giggling, some whispering to others.

"Imanonymous…" one of the braver ones asked, "What was it like?"

"What was what like?"

"The other night…  When you & Shakey…"

"When we what?"

"You know…  'Became One'…"

Rave didn't understand, "Became One?"

"When you 'Shared his Love'…"

Rave blinked, "I do not understand…"

The girls sighed, wondering if Rave was being 'coy', or if the other rumours about her were true.  That socially, she was as thick as a brick.

One of the girls knelt beside Rave & whispered in her ear.

Rave looked at the girl beside her in surprise, "We did not do that."

"Oh?" the enquiring girl arched her eyebrows, "What DID you do then?"

"We want DETAILS!" the other girls giggled in unison.

In both cases, the unusual actions of the other students attracted the attention of the teachers.

"All Right!  Break it up!"

Shakey was glad of the reprieve.  He spent the rest of the class telling everyone who would listen that he & Rave had NEVER done what the rumours said.

…As he was known to be such a 'wimp', his confessions were believed…

"Man, we should of KNOWN…"

"Yeah…  Atari could never be a chick magnet…"

"What about the Redhead he lives with?"

"Aesir?" the male student almost choked laughing, "Yeah, RIGHT!  As if there'd be anything left of him if he even LOOKED at her!"

Rave was uncertain how she should react to the situation, 'I wish Mazurka was here to advise me…'

Hickory Harikari pushed her way past the other girls, only to stop in front of Rave, "Imanonymous!  I've just heard.  You said you & Shakey didn't do anything when you slept over the other night?"

"Not what people are saying we did."

"I'm so glad," Hickory smiled with relief.  'It looks like Aesir may still have a chance with Shakey after all,' she thought.

"Why would they say such things about us?"

Hickory stumbled, "Uh…  I think 'some' people may have… misinterpreted things you said yesterday…  I'm glad the rumours have been straightened out, & that there's no need to worry."

Rave inclined her head slightly, "Why should I worry?"

"Err…" Hickory had said more than she intended to, "Because…  Because you might have damaged your reputation…"

"Damaged my reputation?"

"You know…?  Your… 'reputation'…?" Hickory was prompted to explain further on seeing Rave's lack of comprehension, "Make you unpopular with nice boys…"

Hickory's comment left Rave feeling uneasy, mainly because the only boy Rave knew well enough to consider 'nice', was Shakey.

The lesson ended & the teacher told the girls to go & change.  In the changing room, the other girls mobbed Rave.  They all had questions for her.

…And some unpleasant surprises…

Rave answered the questions warily, mindful of Hickory's comment that the current rumours were based on misinterpretations of Rave's earlier comments.

"Please tell us, we've been dying to know since yesterday," one girl pleaded.

"Yesterday?" Rave's sense of unease grew.

"Yes, ever since we heard about you two having lunch."

"The rumours have been circulating since lunchtime yesterday?"

"Oh Yes," the girl confirmed, "The whole school's talking about it on the electronic bulletin board…"

Rave was now feeling more than uneasy, 'Shakey was upset yesterday afternoon.  He said it was nothing, but… had he heard about these rumours?  Was he… worried about them?  If so, will these rumours make me unpopular with him?  I have only just learned he is my friend…  Will I lose his friendship?'

"I am sorry," Rave said to the girls around her, "But I have urgent business elsewhere…"

With that, Rave hurriedly left the changing room, intending to find Shakey, & get some answers to her own questions…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Wolves.

The bad things about rumours, is that once started, they tend to keep growing.  This is due to several reasons, most of which relate to the darker side of the Human Psyche.  The two most common of these reasons are…

1 - Need to impress others, or gain prestige by appearing to be informed.

2 - Need for entertainment.

The rumours about Rave & Shakey were no exception.  By the time the pair had arrived at school, the simple fact that Rave had slept at Mazurka's had been blown out of all proportion.  Even accounting for initial misinterpretation of the basic facts, the subsequent 'additions' were hard to account for, unless one factored in the 'gender-gap' that occurs in the teenage years.

Most of the girls saw things from a 'Romantic' perspective, wondering if 'True Love' was involved, & if they could have the same in their own lives.  They wanted the background details of the relationship, how Rave & Shakey had found & confessed their love to each other, what it was really like to 'Become One' with the person you loved, in heart, mind, & body.

Most of the boys saw it from a more 'Physical' perspective, wondering what 'Lines' or 'Technique' Shakey had used on Rave, & whether or not such 'Lines' & 'Techniques' would work for them in their own lives.  They wanted to know the how, where, & what of any 'activities' their friends had done, the better to know if they themselves were 'Manly Enough' to be able to 'Score'…

…In other words, the girls focussed more on the emotional aspects, while the boys focussed more on the physical aspects…

Rave had hurriedly dressed after Phys Ed class.  Not just because she was being her usual efficient self, or because she wanted to get away from the questions & suspicions of the other girls, but because she wanted to find Shakey, & ask him if the rumours were why he was feeling 'down' the other afternoon.

…And whether the rumours had changed his wanting to be her friend…

Rave knew the field where Shakey was having his Phys Ed class.  She made straight for it, hoping to intercept him on his way back to their classroom.

…Unfortunately, her course took her into danger…

"Hey!" a Senior Student pointed Rave out to his friends, "Look at that blue-haired chick…"

"So?"

"So…  That's the one I was telling you about, a real little 'goer' from what people have been saying…"

"Yeah?" another student looked appraisingly at Rave, "That's the Nympho?"

"Oh, Yeah!  Come on…"

"You reckon you got a chance?"

"Hey, if even half of what I've heard is right…  We're ALL in for a treat!"

"Lead on then…"

Rave found her path blocked by a group of senior students she didn't know.  She moved to step around them but…

"Hey!  Wait up!  You're Rave Imanonymous?  Aren't you?"

"Yes," Rave paused to see what they wanted to speak to her about.

"You've been hanging out with that wimp, 'Shakey Atari', haven't you?"

"He is not a wimp," Rave asserted, not wanting any further rumours to start based on something she might have said, or appeared to agree with.

"OoooH!" the speaker leered suggestively, "So he really HAS proven his 'Manliness' to you then, eh?"

The tone of the speaker, rather than his choice of words, made Rave wary.

"Listen chicky!  Why don't you do yourself a favour, & spend some 'quality time' with us?"

"Why?" Rave didn't fully understand the offer, but she did sense that there might be a different meaning behind the words.

"Because I'm sure any one of us can be more of a 'Man' to you than he was."

"No," As far as Rave was concerned, the conversation was over.  She attempted to sidestep the group & resume her journey.

One of the boys grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving.

Despite tensing up, Rave still sounded calm as she said, "Let go of me."

"The way I see it," continued the leader, ignoring Rave's request, "Is that it just wouldn't be right if we were to let you waste your time on him…  Not when you could do SO much better with us…"

**WHUMP** Rave broke free of the grabber, by twisting her arm in his grip, & pivoting her hips so she could deliver a powerful open palm blow to his chest with her other hand.  Surprised, the grabber fell backwards onto the ground.

"I said…  Let go of me…" Rave's voice was still calm & quiet.

A sudden change went through the pack.  They spread out to circle Rave, some of them producing pocketknives.

"That Hurt!" said the one sitting on the ground.

"That wasn't very nice," the pack leader shook his head in mock emphasis, then sighed, "I think we'll have to teach you a lesson in manners, little girl."

Rave was silent.

The leader sauntered up to Rave, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Now," the leader crooned softly, "I'm sure a pretty girl like you, will want to apologise for such… unsociable actions.  Hmmm?"

Rave looked at him, then simply said, "No."

"Wrong reply," the Leader stated in harder tones, "You'll apologise…  Now!"

Rave remained silent.

The pack of wolves surrounding Rave had thought they might condescend to do this poor girl a favour, & let her provide all of them with some 'fun'.  But she had rejected their offer, & in so doing had questioned the rights they had over women by virtue of their 'Manhood'.  As if that wasn't bad enough, she had dared to stand up for herself as if she were an equal to them, thus denigrating their 'Manliness' & threatening their ranking in the local 'pecking order'…

The leader scowled, then slapped Rave's face.  Hard.  His way of letting this mere girl know who was in charge around here, & who she should obey.

…It was the last thing the arrogant jerk did wrong…

Rave suddenly whirled among them, screaming out Martial Arts yells as she kicked & punched with expert precision.  Each of her blows connected at full force, shattering the bones & rupturing the joints of her opponents.

The thugs tried to fight back, but Rave had more than the element of surprise on her side.  Her speed & manoeuvrability severely outclassed theirs, & they went down without landing a single blow on her.

…Although, the braces one wore on his teeth, did skin Rave's knuckles badly…

The would-be thugs lay on the ground, swearing & screaming in pain, & wondering how such a defenceless looking girl could take all of them out so easily.

…Actually, anyone with a working IQ could easily figure it out…

Many people assumed, that because Rave was so quiet, & followed orders without question, that she was completely apathetic to events concerning her.  Others assumed, that because Rave was a 'vegetarian', that she was a person who cared too much for other living beings to hurt them or use them as food.

…Both groups were completely wrong, despite what appearances might suggest…

Put simply, 'Rave' was a highly trained AVE pilot.  Like Aesir, but unlike Shakey, Rave#2 had endured many years of the rigorous testing & training the elite job of AVE Pilot required, including lessons in all of the things considered 'essential'…

…Essentials like training in 'Tactical Combat Analysis'.  The main rule of this discipline was, 'Keep your mouth shut, & your eyes & ears open…'  Rave#2 had practiced this to the point where it was 'second nature' to her, & in the process, it had given her the appearance of a 'quiet' attitude…

…Then there were essentials like training in 'Hand To Hand Combat', both 'Armed & 'Unarmed'.  Regardless of the particular Martial Discipline, the Main Rule of 'A good offence is the best defence…' always applied…

…Which is what Rave#3 had just demonstrated on the unsuspecting thugs…

Rave extracted her cell phone from her skirt pocket & rang NERVIS Security.

"First Pilot here.  There has been an incident in the School.  I need Back-Up…"

"Roger First.  Situation status?"

"Post-event.  Low-level group assault.  Essential Personnel unharmed.  All six aggressors incapacitated & requiring Medical assistance.  No Bystanders involved.  C-Zone at Ground level walkway, between School buildings D & F."

"Roger First.  Team on way.  ETA one minute.  Please await pickup by Team."

"First Pilot acknowledges.  I will remain at site."

"Roger First.  End Transmission?"

"First Pilot acknowledges.  End Transmission."

Rave stood silently despite thinking, 'Now I cannot meet Shakey…'

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Chapter - Hitting The Fan.

Glando Atari sat at the desk in his office, discussing matters with his advisor Fu2ok.  Both men had open folders in their hands, & Glando in particular had a more conventional posture as he leaned back in his chair.

The light glinted off Glando's glasses as he spoke, "We will run the test facilities around the clock."

Fu2ok wasn't buying it, "But that'll cut down the time we can stall STEELY!"

"Incorrect.  If we follow standard testing procedures, we will have to perform follow-up tests to verify the results of the first."

Fu2ok considered things before replying, "It'll be hard on the systems…"

"If there are… breakdowns… caused by our diligence in testing, then we will have to adjust our schedules accordingly."

Fu2ok snorted, "And just how 'well-timed' will these 'breakdowns' be?"

Glando smirked, "Anticipated maintenance, has already been… accounted… for…"

"We're treading the razor's edge here, Atari…  Any slip-up & we're…"

The ringing of the Emergency phone interrupted Fu2ok's comment.  Glando swiftly picked the phone up, saying only one word into it, "Report!"

Glando paused, listening to the other person on the line, "I see.  Quarantine them in Secure Medical Facilities.  Full communication blackout until I've seen them.  Bring her to me immediately.  That is all."

Glando hung the phone up, the smirk erased from his face.

"What is it?" asked a worried Fu2ok.

"There has been an incident, involving Rave.  She attacked a group of students in her school."

Fu2ok grimaced, "Control breakdown?"

"It may be.  I will have to interrogate her to be sure."

Fu2ok shuddered, "If this IS a control breakdown like the others, you could be committing suicide by confronting her."

"I believe not.  I am more than another 'Superior Officer' to her.  I do not believe that she would harm me."

"I wouldn't gamble my life on her emotional responses."

"Still.  That is what I must do, to find the truth," Glando paused before continuing in sombre tones, "Fu2ok.  I want you to monitor the meeting from a secure location.  If things go badly…"

"I'll take over command…"

"Correct."

"I'll see you later then," Fu2ok walked off.

"I sincerely hope so," Glando muttered in reply.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Speaking First.

A short time later, Rave#3 was ushered into Glando's office by a squad of tight-lipped Security Guards.  All the Guards appeared nervous, their fingers on the triggers of the weapons they pointed in Rave's general direction.  They stood well behind & away from her, out of reach of any punch or kick she might use, & out of each other's line of fire.

Glando sat at his desk like a spider crouching in its web, his emotions just as unreadable.  The approaching group stopped some twenty feet away from the desk.

"Wait outside," Glando's words were music to the Guards' ears, "I wish to speak to her privately."

The Security guards swiftly obeyed.  The doors closed behind the guards, leaving Glando & Rave alone in the room.

"Rave," Glando said quietly, "Come closer."

Rave walked up to the front of the desk & stopped at its edge.  Glando sat on the other side, well within lunging distance, should Rave decide to attack him.  Glando silently appraised the girl before him.  She appeared as she normally did, except for a bandage around the knuckles of her hand.

"I heard that you were involved in a fight today," Glando sounded like a parent talking to their child.

"Yes, Sir."

"Why?"

"They were going to attack me."

"What made you think that?"

"They had assumed attack positions, & had armed themselves."

"Why would they attack you?"

"I am not sure…"

Glando sighed, "Rave, please summarise events from when you woke this morning…"

"Yes Sir.  I awoke at my usual time.  I prepared for school, then walked to the apartment of Major Kutsarug.  Once there, Shakey prepared me breakfast of…"

"Shakey?" Glando interrupted on hearing the change from 'Pilot Atari'.

Rave blushed slightly, & her expression wavered, "Yes Sir.  He… prefers all of we Clones to call him Shakey, rather than Pilot Atari."

"I… see…" Glando murmured, "Continue."

"I spent time talking with Shakey & Major Kutsarug, before running to school with Shakey…"

"Running?"

"Yes Sir.  Shakey did not prepare for school as efficiently as he should have.  This was partly my fault as we spent too much time talking with each other."

"Continue."

"We arrived at school, & went to our first class of the day, Physical Education.  Shakey had football, I had swimming.  While in swimming class, I was asked if certain rumours about myself & Shakey were correct.  I told…"

"Rumours?  Elaborate!"

Rave looked uneasy, "The night before last, I slept over at Major Kutsarug's apartment.  Several people misinterpreted this, as meaning that I had consummated a physical relationship with Shakey while I was there…"

"Did you… consummate… a physical relationship with him?"

"No Sir."

"Have you ever consummated a physical relationship with him, or anyone else?"

"No Sir.  Not by any definition that I know."

"What response did you give to the other students?"

"The full truth.  Such events did not take place.  We did not engage in related activities, nor did we attempt to, I only slept there."

"Continue."

"During the course of talking with the others, I learned that the rumours had been circulating since lunchtime yesterday, partly by E-Mail.  I was concerned that this was why Shakey was upset yesterday afternoon.  I…"

"Shakey was upset?"

"Yes Sir.  When I observed that he seemed upset, he replied that he was 'feeling down'.  I tried to find out why, but he replied, 'it's nothing'.  He tried to cheer himself up by buying Malted Milkshakes for the two of us."

"Malted Milkshakes?"

"Yes Sir.  Chocolate & Strawberry.  We both shared them in what Shakey referred to as, 'a drinking contest'…  We put our straws into the same drink & drank it at the same time, then did the same with the second drink"

"C-Continue…" the word sounded like it had caught in a dry throat.

"I wanted to see Shakey, & ask if he had been upset by the rumours.  I went towards the field where I knew his class was, in hopes of meeting him on his way back.  I was stopped by a group of six unknown males who…"

"How did they stop you?"

"They blocked my way, & called me by my name."

"At that time, were they acting in a threatening manner?"

"No Sir."

"Continue."

"They asked me if I had been hanging out with that wimp, Shakey Atari.  I replied that he was not a wimp.  They asked if he had proven his manliness to me.  I did not fully understand the comment, so I did not reply.  They then asked me to do myself a favour, & spend some quality time with them, as they were sure they could be more of a man to me than he was.  I de…"

"Did you understand what those comments meant?"

"No Sir.  I did not."

"Continue."

"I declined their offer & tried to leave, but one of them grabbed my arm & stopped me.  I told them to let me go, but they ignored me.  They said I was wasting my time with Shakey, & that I could do better with them.  They were violating my Personal Right of Freedom of Movement, so I used reasonable force to break free…"

"What level of force did you use?"

"Non-Lethal.  I twisted myself out of the grip while directed a non-injuring open palm strike to the chest of the one holding me."

"Continue."

"That angered them.  They assumed attack positions, & produced weapons."

"Is that when you attacked them?"

"No Sir."

"Continue."

"They told me that what I had done was not very nice, & that they would have to teach me some manners.  They said that a pretty girl like me would want to apologise for my actions.  I saw no reason to apologise for asserting my rights, & replied no to them.  One of them said that was the wrong reply, & demanded I apologise.  When I did not, he slapped me."

"Is that when you attacked?"

"Yes Sir.  I realised by their actions, that they did not value the Personal Rights & Freedoms of others, & that they were most likely going to try & further violate mine.  I attacked, using non-lethal incapacitating strikes.  After neutralising their threat, I phoned Security & advised them of the situation.  As per the Security Team's request, I stayed at the site until they arrived.  They extracted me & brought me here."

Glando sat back in his chair, digesting what Rave had just said.  For several minutes he said nothing.  He eventually leaned forward & smiled at Rave, speaking soothingly as he delivered his opinion.

"Rave, This event was precipitated solely in response to their actions, & was escalated solely by their actions.  However, this situation requires further investigation.  I will need to talk to those you attacked, & get their side of the story, as well as the stories of any other witnesses.  To ensure a fair investigation, I believe that for the time being, it would be best if you were to stay in your apartment.  You are excused School & Official duties until I advise otherwise."

"Understood Sir," Rave looked slightly crestfallen.

Glando added, "Don't worry.  I think you did the right thing.  If they hadn't accosted you, then they would have accosted some other girl.  Probably one who would not have been able to assert her rights as you did.  I'm sure this matter will quickly resolve itself.  In the meantime, I will increase Security in your neighbourhood, just in case this has repercussions."

"Yes Sir," Rave bounced back to her normally neutral personality.

"Wait outside, I'll get Security to take you home, & to deliver food to you.  That is all, you may go now."

"Yes Sir," Rave turned & left.

Glando waited until the door had shut behind Rave, then picked up his phone & made an urgent call.

"This is Me…  I want a Security detail to take the First Pilot to her apartment.  I want an extra Security team on site in her apartment block, & another to keep her local neighbourhood under heightened surveillance.  Both are full time until I advise otherwise."

Glando paused, "No.  I want meals delivered to her.  She should remain in her apartment.  If she tries to leave, do not intervene, but follow & provide cover for her.  Advise me immediately of any unusual events, including attempts to leave her apartment, or of any visitors.  Screen all mail, & phone calls…"

Glando paused again, "Yes.  Arm the containment system in her apartment block before she arrives.  Use the extra Security teams to ensure there are no bystanders in the blast radius…"

Glando scowled, "One last thing.  Locate the Third pilot, Shakey Atari.  Bring him in to me as soon as possible.  I want to talk to him…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Wrong Words.

In a Secure Medical Ward somewhere in the NERVIS Base, six young men were feeling the worse for wear.  All of them sported a variety of bandages & limb splints.  Going by their conversations, not only were their bodies injured, but their pride as well.

"How could she take us down like that?  She was just a chick?"

"Karate man…  She musta used karate on us…"

Finding out they were not as 'mighty' as they thought was bad enough.  But that a single 'chick', a lesser being, had broken them, was even harder to take.

…Unfortunately for them, worse was yet to come…

In arrived without warning in the form of Glando Atari, Commander of the NERVIS base, & sole investigator of the incident that put the group in Hospital.  He stalked into the middle of the ward flanked by a dozen armed guards.  Stopping just inside the door, Glando waited as the Guards took up positions on either side of each of the wounded.

Glando spoke quietly, "Who's the leader among you?"

"We're suing!" one of the injured shouted, "You & that karate psycho!  You got any idea of the trouble you're gonna be in, letting students get beat up…"

Glando snapped his fingers & pointed at the young punk.  The guards on either side of the particular punk turned on him, pushing the punk down into the mattress one-handed, before smashing the fist of their free hand repeatedly into the punk's face.  The screams of pain & fear that sounded as lips split & teeth were dislodged, quickly became choking sobs as the rhythmic thumping noises began to sound moister, then…

"Enough," the one word from Glando instantly stopped the Guards.

Glando stood silently, letting the lesson sink in as time passed to the muffled sobs & whimperings from the erstwhile leader of the group…

Then Glando said in a nearly bored voice, "A pack of thugs attack a young girl, & they somehow think I'm in trouble?"

By now, the frightened punks had begun to realise that the older man WASN'T going to bend over & 'French Kiss' their posteriors.

"Muhhh," the incoherent mumble came from the one who'd just been bashed.

"Be silent," Glando brushed the other's pain off with total indifference, "You should all know, the First reason you're still alive, is because that 'karate psycho' as you call her, LET you live…  If she'd wanted to, she could've killed you all…  Easily!"

Glando paused to let that sink in, then continued, in colder, menacing tones, "The Second reason you're still alive, is that I need information from you."

"W-we've got the right to remain silent!" one punk obviously remembered what he'd learned from Lawyers in Hollywood movies.

Glando turned to the one who'd just spoken, "You've got 'rights', have you?  Tell me, do these 'rights' allow you to attack young girls?  Do they allow you to escape from being 'responsible' for your actions?"

"Please Sir," one of the smarter punks asked politely, "May we see a lawyer…"

"Certainly," Glando agreed magnanimously, "May I recommend the services of 'Smith & Wesson'?  They've never let me down yet…"

The guards pushed the struggling punks down into the beds, then produced pistols & placed the gun barrels against the ankles of the wounded.

Glando addressed the group, "I am going to ask you questions.  You will answer.  If you do not answer, or try to lie, you will be shot.  A joint at a time."

"Nuh-No Way!" one of the punks was already freaking out, "You can't do that!  You're not allowed!"

"Oh I assure you," Glando calmly replied, "We ARE allowed!"

"But cops can't DO that!"

Glando stared, "When did I ever say we were the police?"

"You're bluffing!  You just can't DO that!"

"I'll start with you then," Glando gave the punk his full attention, "Name?"

"Get Bent you Old Fart!"

Glando nodded at one of the Guards holding the punk down.

**BANG** the punk's ankle erupted as a bullet tore through it.  The punk screamed, & thrashed about on the bed.  The Guards held him down, heedless of the blood that sprayed & splattered over their uniforms from the shattered ankle.  The others watched, unable to believe what had just happened.

"I'm not bluffing," Glando's voice was full of quiet menace, "You have the right to throw your lives away as painfully as you wish…  Your choice…"

Glando turned to the guard who'd just fired his gun, "Patch him up, I don't want him bleeding to death before I've had a chance to finish my talk with him."

Glando addressed the group, "Now then…  Do I have your complete attention?"

When the scared punks didn't answer, Glando smiled reassuringly, "Well then…  Lets start with a simple question, shall we?"

Glando's smile turned into a furious scowl, "Why did you… 'accost'… the girl?"

To the credit of the punks, Glando only had to shoot two of them…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Third Thoughts.

Shakey Atari sat in a waiting room near his Father's office in the NERVIS Base.  Near him sat a watchful pair of Security Guards.

"Excuse me?" The only response the Guards made to Shakey's comment was a slight inclination of their heads in the boy's direction, "Is… is it all right if I go to the toilet?"

The Guards looked at Shakey, "Okay, but make it quick.  You don't want to keep the Commander waiting when he's finally ready to see you…"

Shakey gladly used the facilities.  Apart from the chance to relieve himself, it gave him precious solitude, & a chance to calm himself.

Shakey had been feeling bad enough over the rumours circulating about him & Rave.  The sudden appearance of Security Guards during the second class had NOT improved things in the slightest.  Nor had their actions of dragging Shakey away in front of the rest of the class & the school in general.

The Guards had been unresponsive to Shakey's questions about where they were taking him & why, apart from the ominous, "The Commander wants to see you…"

'What does my father want to see me for?' Shakey had been torturing himself with the possibilities ever since he found out, 'It couldn't be those rumours about me & Rave?  Could it?  If it is…  What do I say to him about it?  That it's just a misunderstanding?  Would he accept that?'

'If he asks…  I guess I can only tell him the truth…  It's not like we DID anything we weren't supposed to…  Despite the rumours…'

Leaving the toilet, & back with only the Guards for company, Shakey once again reviewed what he knew & suspected in an effort to understand what was going on…

To start with, there were serious rumours circulating about an alleged 'relationship' between Rave & Shakey.  A relationship the pair supposedly 'consummated' two nights ago at Mazurka's place, or, if you believed SOME of the rumours that were circulating, just about everywhere else…  Shakey had been shocked when he found out what others were saying, & even more so to find out that some of the students had asked Rave about it.

…Then Rave had gone missing after her very first class of the day…

Nothing too unusual in that, Rave was Famous, or rather Infamous, for missing classes.  Then Security had come for Shakey, taking him out of class in front of all the other students.  That alone had Shakey imagining what the other students would change the rumours into…

…A 'shotgun wedding' was one of the more pleasant ones…

Shakey had wanted to curl up & disappear right then & there, & it was then that a dark thought occurred to him, 'If Rave was asked the same questions I was, how would it affect her?'

…The fact that Rave had gone missing after the morning class suddenly gained sinister significance…

It occurred to Shakey that Rave might think, or might be told, that Shakey had started the rumours himself…

'Would she believe that?' Shakey was seriously worried, 'That I started the rumours about us…?  I know there are guys who boast about… the things they do…  Most of them make it all up…  But…  Rave may not be able to decide if such a story was true or not…  As Ritzy said, she's not very good at living…'

New mental torments assailed Shakey, as he thought of poor heart-broken Rave, feeling betrayed by one who said he was her friend, running off in tears, unable to handle the questions & their implications…

Worry & guilt can make people fantasise to great extent about the unpleasant things that can happen to them.  As Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome put it many centuries ago, "How much pain, have the things that never happened, caused us."

'…oh no…' in his mind's eye, Shakey imagined he saw Rave crying, hearing her sobs as she realised that her brief existence was full of nothing but heartache & betrayal, 'Rave said she had no life… that she was… replaceable…  would she… could she have… have…'

…Shakey imagined Rave throwing herself in front of an oncoming express train…

"NO!" Shakey startled the Guards with his yell.  He jumped to his feet & turned to the Guards, begging them, "Rave!  Is she all right?  Please!  Tell me?"

The Guards replied, "We don't know what the Commander wants to see you about."

To Shakey's guilt-wracked mind, their words had another interpretation…

'If Rave's dead because of these rumours…  Would my father let a Guard tell me?  No!  He'd tell me himself!  Especially if he thought it was my fault!  That must be why Mazurka isn't here!'

'If only I'd told Rave about these rumours yesterday!  I could have asked Mazurka about them…  I could have given Rave a chance to handle them…'

When he was finally advised that his father was ready to see him, Shakey was a nervous wreck, on the brink of collapse…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Hard Questions.

Shaky Atari, the teenaged boy also known as the Third Pilot, stood in the office of the Commander of NERVIS…

…Trembling like a leaf on a windy day…

It wasn't just that Glando was an intimidating enigma of a man at the best of times that had Shakey trembling, nor was it the creep factor of Glando's immense office.  Shakey was trembling out of old-fashioned guilt that a friend of his had been hurt, or possibly killed, because of some rumours Shakey felt that he himself had failed to adequately control.

Glando motioned a hand towards one of the Security Guards who'd brought Shakey in.  The Guard walked over to one of the disguised storerooms that adjoined Glando's immense office, returning with a chair for Shakey to sit in.

Shakey collapsed into the chair, rather than sit in it, proof of the boy's nervous state.  Another slight motion of Glando's hand & the Guards withdrew, leaving Father & Son alone.

Glando may have been a Father, but he was also Commander of the NERVIS Base.  The chair that had been provided for Shakey wasn't some gesture of Paternal Care, or Nepotistic favouritism, but because there was little chance of a nervous youth like Shakey being capable of standing throughout the interrogation that was to follow…

…That became evident with Glando's first two questions…

"Pilot Atari," Glando's use of Shakey's working title put an emotional distance between the two that couldn't be measured in mere feet & inches, "Do you know why you are here today?"

"Nuh-Not really…"

"Let me give you a clue…"

Shakey waited for his father to speak.  Instead, Glando kept silent for over a minute, making Shakey sweat…

"What is the nature of your relationship with Rave Imanonymous?" Glando's voice held no trace of warmth or compassion whatsoever for his son.

Shakey turned pale as the question confirmed his worst suspicions, '…oh no… it IS about the rumours…'

Shakey opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't seem to get his voice to work properly, "Ah-I… sh-she's pilot…  We wuh-work t-together…"

Glando waited as Shakey gulped & stuttered out an answer.

"Is that all?  You merely… work together?"

Shakey gave up trying to speak & nodded vigorously.

"So you aren't… friends then?"

"W-we… ah…" was all Shakey managed to get out.

"Are you more than 'friends'?"

Shakey shook his head vigorously.

"Are you sure?"

Shakey nodded.

Glando paused, & then got down to business, "It has come to my attention, that there are several… 'rumours'… about your dealings with her…"

To his credit, Shakey didn't faint, although he WAS glad he'd gone to the toilet before coming in to this meeting.

"These rumours are… unsavoury…  unpleasant…  And have proven dangerous…"

Shakey's heart nearly stopped, 'oh GOD!  Rave!  Did she… kill… herself…'

"These rumours resulted in Rave being… attacked… by a group of males."

Shakey's eyes went wide with fear as he realised what THAT usually meant…

"Rave… sustained injuries in the attack."

Shakey was now shivering uncontrollably, 'Injuries?  How?  How badly?'

"She was lucky… this time."

Although he was in the lion's den, & halfway down it's throat, Shakey felt strangely relieved, '…lucky…?  She must be alive!  Rave's alive!'

Shakey began sobbing, partly from relief that Rave was alive, & partly from fear of the unknown injuries she'd suffered in the 'attack'.

"However…" the way Glando said the one word made Shakey aware that he wasn't out of danger yet, "I do not see why there had to be a… 'this' time…  I was hoping you could tell me…"

Shakey swallowed hard, his throat as dry as a rock…

Glando's next words were edged in cold steel, "How did these rumours start?"

Shakey tried to answer, but he was barely incoherent…

Glando pressed Shakey relentlessly for details, building bit by bit a picture of what had happened from Shakey's viewpoint.  It took over an hour, but eventually Glando began to tone down the probing intensity of his questions.  There remained a few final questions though…

"Tell me…  Has there ever BEEN… a basis for rumours like these?"

"N-oh," Shakey's voice failed on the word & he shook his head for emphasis.

Glando tilted his head slightly, & harsh light flashed on his glasses.

"Will there ever BE… a basis for rumours like these?"

Once again, Shakey shook his head.

"I am glad to know that…  I do not wish to hear of any further rumours regarding 'improper' relationships between Pilots.  Let alone facts…  Do I make myself clear?"

Shakey nodded.

"This meeting is over…"

Shakey tried to stand & failed, his legs buckling under him like soft rubber.

"Security will take you home," Glando advised in a cold voice, his finger already pressing a button to summon the guards outside.

As the doors to his office opened to admit the Guards, Glando said something surprising to the weepy human wreck in the chair before him…

"A person's reputation is a fragile thing.  No matter how many decades you spend building it, it can vanish overnight.  There are dangerous vermin who feed on damaged reputations.  Even a hint of scandal will attract them.  A woman's reputation is particularly fragile.  Always remember that…"

Shakey just sat there.

Glando concluded, "Treat her well.  But don't get too close…"

Glando turned to the Guards, "Take him home."

The Guards nodded, & took Shakey away.  As the doors closed after them, Glando made a phone call.

"Major Kutsarug?  We need to talk…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Home Stretch.

If Shakey thought he was going to have a quiet afternoon after the harrowing morning he'd just had, he was wrong.

…Dead wrong…

Glando told the Security Guards to take Shakey home, the first good thing to happen to Shakey that day.  However, when Security Guards arrived at Mazurka's apartment, they found Mazurka there…

…Waiting for Shakey…

Glando had phoned Mazurka & advised her of the rumour situation between Shakey & Rave.  Glando had also advised that he had personally dealt with the jerks that'd unwisely picked on Rave, & that he wanted to have a little talk with Mazurka about the situation…

…First thing tomorrow, in Glando's Office…

…For now though, Glando had 'recommended' that Mazurka take the rest of the day off so that she could care of Shakey…  Personally…

"Thank You," Mazurka advised the Guards with what looked like forced cheer, "I'll take over from here…"

The Guards handed Shakey over, with a fleeting look of pity on their faces for their charge.

…An accurate assessment, because once the door had closed…

Mazurka turned to Shakey, her face grim & serious, "Shakey…  The Commander has told me about the rumours.  As your Guardian, I need to know more.  Do you feel up to talking about them now?"

Shakey trembled, keeping his eyes on the floor as he answered, "Not really…  But I suppose there won't be any better time…"

Mazurka helped Shakey into the Living Room, where she sat him down on the couch & gradually, pieced together what had happened.  By the time Shakey got to the part where he'd found out Rave had been attacked, he was crying his eyes out…

"Th-this is all muh-my f-fault…  I-If I'd only t-told her…"

"No it isn't!" Mazurka angrily corrected, "The only ones responsible for the attack were those that did it!  Although they probably won't be 'man' enough to take any responsibility for their actions…"

Mazurka's opinion didn't seem to help Shakey any.

'D--N!' Mazurka had a soft heart, 'He's really cut up over this…  I can't blame him, he IS in the dark about how bad off Rave is…  Hmmm…  THAT, I can fix…'

"Shakey?  I'm going to make a phone call, & check on Rave.  Just to make sure she's all right.  Okay?"

Shakey snuffled & nodded.

Mazurka quickly dialled Rave's cell phone, & waited as it rang.  It was picked up on the third ring.

"Yes?" Rave's usual voice answered.

"Rave?"

"Yes."

"It's Mazurka.  The Commander told me what happened.  How are you?"

"I am all right.  It was only a minor conflict."

"Were you checked out by the Base Doctors?  What did they say?"

"Yes.  They said I am fine.  I only have grazed knuckles."

"Was it only… a simple assault?"

"Yes.  There were no other wounds."

"No, I meant…  was it only a simple assault, not an… 'assault'…?"

"I do not understand."

Mazurka sighed, "We'll talk about it later…  In the meantime, I've got Shakey…"

"Shakey?" Rave interrupted Mazurka, "Is he there?  May I talk to him?"

"Uh…  Sure," Mazurka confirmed, startled by Rave's request, "But I've got to warn you, he's rather upset by this whole thing.  He may not be too talkative."

"Does he not want to speak to me?" Rave sounded worried.

"Truth is," Mazurka soothed on hearing the change in Rave's voice, "He's crying his eyes out, & may not be able to speak…  I'll see if he's up to it…"

"Mazurka?  May I come over & see him?"

"Sure, if you feel up to it.  Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No.  I have transport."

"All right then, I'll see you when you get here.  In the meantime, I'll try to get Shakey to cheer up…"

Mazurka hung up & went to get Shakey a cup of water from the kitchen.

"Here," Mazurka handing over the cup of water, "Drink this.  It helps you to stop crying if you drink some water."

Shakey drank the water, & gradually calmed down.

"Thangs," snuffled Shakey, "How is she?"

"She sounded all right.  Apparently, she's only got grazed knuckles.  Security probably intervened before it got too serious."

Shakey suddenly lightened up, a weight lifting from his soul.

'Security?  Of Course!  Security!  They would have intervened & stopped her from being hurt, or stop her from hurting herself!  I should have remembered!'

Mazurka noticed the change in his mood, "Feeling better are we?  That's Good!  Rave was concerned about you, & wanted to talk with you."

Shakey was surprised, 'She's concerned about ME?  After what happened to her?'

"She wanted to talk to you, but decided to come over & see you instead."

Shakey blinked, 'Rave?  She's coming over?  To see me?'

"She said she had transport, so she probably won't be…"

A knocking sound came from the door to the apartment.  Mazurka left Shakey & went to see who it was.  She was only mildly surprised to see it was Rave.

"Please come in," Mazurka motioned for Rave to enter.

Rave went straight to Shakey.  She stopped in front of him, & then sat beside him on the couch.  Suddenly, she seemed rather shy.

Mazurka coughed, "I'll just… start dinner…  Rave!  You eat curry don't you?"

"If it's vegetarian,"

"No worries!" Mazurka assured with a smile.

Shakey & Rave sat beside each other, each feeling shy & uneasy.

"I heard about the rumours at school today," Rave ventured.

"I'm sorry," Shakey's confession was a hard thing to do, but relatively easy compared to the time spent with his Father, "I first heard about the rumours yesterday, but I didn't tell you.  I hoped they'd die out overnight…"

"Is that why you were… upset… that afternoon?"

"…yeah…"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"…i thought you'd be upset by them…"

Rave blinked, 'So, he was trying to protect my feelings…'

"I'm sorry about… today…" Shakey was feeling bad enough about the whole thing, but after what his Father had insinuated, Shakey had to know, "Did they… I mean, were you hurt much?"

"No.  They only slapped me once."

"So…  Security got involved?" Shakey wasn't quite grasping at straws in an attempt to make himself feel better.

"Yes.  They took them away for questioning," Rave omitted the fact that Security got involved AFTER Rave had finished punching her attackers lights out.

Shakey breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing as the fear & worry left, 'Good old Security!  I needn't have worried after all…  Although…  It would have been dangerous…  If Rave had been by herself…'

The two fell silent for a few minutes.

"Shakey?"

"Hmmm?"

"Those rumours.  The Class President told me that they could damage a girl's reputation…"

Guilt bloomed anew in Shakey's mind, 'I didn't think of that…'

"She said that… they might make people… dislike me…"

Shakey was feeling worried, 'I didn't think about how others would see it…'

Rave tensed slightly, "Would rumours like those… make you… disli-"

"No they wouldn't!" Shakey blurted out, not waiting for Rave to finish, "I've learned not to believe rumours…  Anyway…  You're my friend…  Regardless of whatever rumours there were about you, I wouldn't stop being your friend!"

Rave relaxed slightly, the tilt of her head making her hair hang down & obscure her bright pink cheeks.

…And her relieved smile…

Shakey tried to rid himself of another fear he'd recently had, "I was worried… when the rumours started…  I thought you might be hurt if you knew about them…"

"Do not worry.  Words cannot hurt me."

"That's not… exactly… what I meant…  People… can be… upset… by such things.  Their emotions can get out of control… they can end up… hurting themselves… badly…  I was worried that you might… might," Shakey trailed off as he remembered the dark vision he'd had of Rave & the express train…

"Do not worry.  The rumours would not have made me lose control."

"I'm glad," Shakey's relief was sincere, even if he was unaware of the true meaning of Rave's words.

"So is the Commander," Rave added, pleased that she had performed adequately in Glando's opinion on this occasion.

Shakey tensed at the mention of his father, & what his father had said to him about 'improper' relationships involving the pilots.

'This time, I was the first to hear about these rumours,' Shakey agonised as he reviewed his failure yet again, 'I tried to stop them, but I failed, & things blew up…  Will there be a 'next' time?  What if there is, & my father finds out about before I do?'

Shakey gulped, dreading the prospect of having another 'talk' with his father…

'Then there's how Rave might react…  She said she wasn't hurt by the rumours…  This time…  But…  My father pointed out… a girl's reputation is different to a boy's…  And then there were the jerks attacking her…'

"Rave," Shakey asked in a trembling voice, "Please promise me…  If you… hear any rumours… that involve either of us… you'll tell me?"

"Yes."

Shakey felt relieved.

"Will you also promise the same?" Rave asked.

"All right…" Shakey agreed after a short hesitation, 'It's only fair.  Friends should trust one another equally…'

"So what rumours did you hear?" Rave asked in all innocence.

Shakey gulped nervously…

He was saved by Mazurka's call of "Come & get it!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Dinnertime Conversation.

The alleged meal that Mazurka had created in the kitchen, seethed & boiled in the pot like a special effect from a horror movie.  It was not a sight for the faint hearted, or for those with a digestive system of less than 'cast iron' class.

…Mazurka hoed into the hideous slop with Gusto…

Shakey endured it, having gotten used to Mazurka's abnormal culinary tastes.

Rave ate quietly, without any of the adverse reactions people normally had when eating Mazurka's cooking for the first time.  Things like nausea, vomiting, etc.

Shakey admired Rave's fortitude…

'Perhaps the taste will make her forget the question she asked me,' Shakey didn't want to embarrass himself, or his blue-haired friend by telling her what the other students had been saying about them.

…But Shakey wasn't going to be that lucky…

Mazurka casually betrayed him by announcing during the meal, "If there's any thing either of you want to ask about this situation, or talk about in general, feel free to speak."

Rave spoke up, "I need guidance about the rumours…"

…Shakey went pale…

"Fire away!" ordered Mazurka, "What do you want to know?"

"When the other girls told me about the rumours, they used words & terms I did not understand."

Now it was Mazurka's turn to go pale, 'Oh boy…  Looks like 'that' talk is going to be sooner than I thought…'

"M-may I be excused?" Shakey quavered.

Mazurka glanced at Shakey.  He was staring at the table, looking like death reheated & nervously toying with the remains of his food.  Mazurka decided to cut him some slack, "Sure…  Me & Rave will take care of things out here."

Shakey gladly left the others to their 'Girls Talk'…

Rave watched him leave with a puzzled expression on her face.

Mazurka steeled herself, & forged ahead, "So…  What did you want to know?"

Rave turned to Mazurka, "I did not understand what the other girls were trying to say, when they used terms such as 'Become One', & 'Share his Love'…"

Mazurka slowly drank her beer, using the time to collect her thoughts, 'Here it is, ready or not, 'Facts of Life 101', & I'm the teacher…'

Rave beat her to it, "Why use such confusing terms, when they only wanted to ask if I had consummated a physical relationship?"

Mazurka choked on her beer in surprise.

"C-Consummated a physical relationship?"

"Yes.  That is the correct term for the social use of the reproductive act of sexual copulation between Male & Female, is it not?"

Mazurka stared slack-jawed at Rave, 'I thought I'd have to tell them about the 'Birds & the Bees', but it appears they may know already…'

"Rave, where did you hear those terms?"

"Doctor Akatlover."

"When?  Why did she tell you about 'consummating physical relationships'?"

"Not long after the Second became Rave.  We had begun initial tests for suitability as an AVE Pilot, although we had not yet attended the local school.  The Commander thought that we should not be less informed than the other children at school would be about such things, so he had Dr Akatlover tell us."

"Oh…  Great…" Mazurka groaned as she remembered that Ritzy had never been famous for the richness of her own 'social' life…

'Knowing Ritzy, she probably filled Rave's head straight from a textbook, loading data into her like some computer…  Since you can't teach what you don't know yourself, Ritzy most likely ignored the 'Emotional' context such material needs to be used properly… wisely…'

Thew implications began to sink in on Mazurka, 'Since Rave's never had the time or opportunity to make friends & socialise normally with other girls, she's had no chance to find out either…  No female friends, means no 'female talk'…'

Mazurka sighed & rubbed her eyes, "I need a summary of everything she told you…"

"Everything?"

"Yep…  Everything…  There's a lot of information that isn't found in any textbook, & until I know what you know, & what you don't know, I won't be able to decide what extra information you need…"

"I understand.  The rumours started because I did not understand the terms the other girls used."

Mazurka was incredulous, "YOU started the rumours?  HOW?"

Rave lowered her gaze, apparently embarrassed, "Yes.  They asked me questions about when I slept over.  I thought I understood all the meanings of the terms used, but evidently, I did not.  It was because of comments I made in response, not understanding the meaning of the questions, that the rumours started."

Mazurka needed another beer or two to handle THAT revelation…

"Mazurka?  What level is information about consummating physical relationships?"

Mazurka paused.  Rave had already had a narrow escape with some local 'Wolves'.  The girl had kept her wits about her & escaped their clutches, but there were a lot more dangers out there for an uneducated teenage girl.  A LOT more…

Mazurka decided to play it safe, & be completely honest, "Depends.  Some of the information is just general medical knowledge.  It doesn't belong to any level, as it's essential for general health & well-being.  Most of it though, would DEFINITELY be 'Romance' level at the least.  The information was given to you, as you would need it to understand & handle the changes as your body matured."

Mazurka decided she needed to make a point, "Rave, even though you know about 'Romance' level activities, your body is still developing!  It's not ready for such activities yet, despite what some people may try & tell you!"

Rave nodded, "Dr Akatlover said I should wait until I was an adult of 18…"

"Besides," stressed Mazurka, "Successful 'Romance', let alone 'Marriage', needs a VERY good knowledge of 'Friendship', or else it can turn out horribly wrong."

"It can?  How?"

"Those males you fought off are an all too common example…"

Rave was puzzled, "Was that an attempt at 'Romance'?"

"NO!" Mazurka barked, "That was NOT 'Romance'…"

"What was it then?"

Mazurka had a world-weary look on her face as she opened up, Woman to Woman, to the teenaged girl before her.

"That was what CAN happen, when people either fail, or choose to ignore, the basics of the 'Friendship' level…  It's what I meant when I said 'Assault' earlier.  Attacks like theirs, often become 'Sexual Assaults'.  They belong in a category of their own, the most common name for which is… 'Rape'…"

Rave digested this before asking, "Then, what is it called when people who fail 'Friendship' attempt the 'Marriage' level?"

Mazurka took a swig of her beer before answering, "That's often referred to as, 'Institutionalised Abuse'…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - No Escape.

Shakey took his time in the bath.  Apart from the warmth of the water, & the steamy humid air, the solitude was just what he needed to help him relax.

…And after a day like this, he BADLY needed to relax…

"Hey Shakey!" Mazurka's loud voice penetrated the thin walls, "Don't soak too long, or you'll turn into a Prune!"

'There's no hurry,' Shakey told himself, 'If I go out, Rave will want me to tell her what rumours I heard…  I don't think I could handle that right now…'

Shakey lay back & let the warm water work its peaceful magic.

Outside, Mazurka was refreshing her beer supply.  Listening to Rave#3 summarise what Dr Akatlover had taught Rave#2 about the 'Facts of Life', was a hard job.  It wasn't so much talking about the subject, but trying to translate the correct Medical/Anatomical terms Rave used, into the more common 'slang' that Mazurka understood.  Especially as Mazurka didn't even know some of the Medical terms…

…Still, the level of Rave's knowledge relieved Mazurka…

Mazurka chugged her beer, 'Ritzy did a good job in teaching Rave.  She's got all of the Medical & Anatomical side down pat…  All she needs now, is advice on the 'Human Element', the 'Emotional' & 'Social' side of things…'

"Why did Shakey leave?" Rave asked when she'd run out of information.

Mazurka smiled, "Uh…  I think he was embarrassed at the thought of hearing us talk about what he considers to be 'private' information about female bodies."

"But, this information is freely available in many medical textbooks?"

"Yeah, well…  Finding out about such things from a book, & talking about them in front of other people are two different things."

"How so?"

"People often won't talk about such things in front of a person of the other gender.  Usually because they're afraid that the other person will think they're trying to start a 'Romance' level relationship with them."

"Why should that upset them?"

"Remember what I told you about those thugs who attacked you?  Shakey doesn't want you to think that he's the same type of person they were."

"I do not understand…  He is not like them."

Mazurka sighed, "No, but he's insecure.  He doesn't know what you'd think if he started talking about 'consummating a physical relationship'.  Especially after the rumours, & your being attacked.  He's afraid of upsetting you."

Rave murmured, "He said that was why he did not tell me about the rumours yesterday.  I wondered why he thought I could not handle knowing about them."

Mazurka shrugged, "He's at that time of life where he has to start making value judgements, & decisions that will affect his life.  Right now, he's probably trying to figure out what's the right thing to do & say in this situation."

Rave understood, 'He is inexperienced with relationships as well…'

Mazurka continued, "He's afraid that he'll makes mistakes.  Especially if his mistake ends up upsetting someone he cares about.  Like yourself for example."

Rave considered this quietly, 'Through my mistakes, rumours were started that upset Shakey…'

Mazurka added, "He's afraid he'll do something to make others NOT like him, & making whatever chance of a relationship he could have with them disappear."

Rave looked concerned, "Do relationships between people often disappear?"

"Oh yes!  That's one of the main reasons why so many people don't bother going past the 'Friendship' level.  Higher-level relationships can cause a lot of pain & emotional turmoil when they break-up.  The loss of a simple friendship is painful enough, but the loss of a marriage level relationship can kill…"

Rave looked worried, "Kill?"

"Yes, I've seen it happen.  Sometimes it occurs when a partner in a marriage dies, & the other one can't go on.  They die of grief.  Other times, it's because of a breakdown in a relationship, & the partners split up, only to find they can't go on without the other.  Usually, it's the man who can't cope."

…Rave suddenly looked paler than normal…

'Could my ignorance of relationships, hurt Shakey that badly if I tried to have a relationship with him?  I don't want to hurt him…' Rave decided to enquire further, "Why is that?"

Mazurka shrugged, "It's just how people are!  Women tend to be more emotionally flexible & practical about relationships than men are.  That is, we tend to get on with the job of living, as we open up & treat other people as friends easier than most males can.  Men tend to obsess over the fine details, constantly comparing themselves to others.  They are often unable to make progress on something until they feel comfortable with whatever changes have occurred…"

"I do not understand."

Mazurka sighed then reached for another beer, "You're not the only one!  Throughout History, men & women have had problems understanding each other's needs & wants.  Sometimes, they get things right, but more frequently they don't.  All too often, they get things wrong…  Still, enough people get their relationships balanced just right enough, & the Human race goes on…"

"Mazurka," Rave asked hesitantly, looking at the table, "What level is having a 'boyfriend'?"

Mazurka tried not to grin, 'Oh-HO!  I thought Rave might 'like' someone…'

"Well now," Mazurka drawled, "That kind of depends…  The term 'boyfriend' has SEVERAL definitions…  The simplest type, is that of a person who is your friend, & who just happens to be a 'boy' as well."

A faint blush spread across Rave's face.

"But!" Mazurka added, " The term is USUALLY applied to a special sort of relationship you have with a particular male person.  It implies a much deeper type of relationship than just 'Friendship'.

Rave looked intently at Mazurka, clearly hanging on every word.

Mazurka leaned back in her chair, "Now this is where it gets complex…  A girl will usually start having 'boyfriends' AFTER she's gotten a good grasp on 'Friendship'.  If she doesn't understand 'Friendship', she may make mistakes that can sour any relationship she tries to have.  Or even worse, she might pick the wrong sort of person to have a relationship with in the first place…"

"As far as what level a 'boyfriend' is…  I'd say 'Romance' level…  But, just as in 'High School' you've got 'Junior High School', & 'Senior High School'…  So the 'Romance' category can be split into 'Junior Romance', & 'Senior Romance'."

"In the 'Junior Romance' category, you'd be looking at the more basic 'Romantic' activities, such as going on dates, holding hands & kissing."

"In the 'Senior Romance' category, you MIGHT be looking at 'consummating physical relationships', & associated activities, but only IF everything was working out between the two of you."

Rave summarised, "So, I should first get a good knowledge of 'Friendship' before even thinking about having a boyfriend…"

"That's always safest!" Mazurka agreed wholeheartedly, "You can have a lot of fun just being friends with a person, without having any sort of 'Physical Relationship'…  You should also be aware that the line between 'Friendship' & 'Junior Romance' is blurry, & not so very clear cut…"

It was then that Shakey finally opened the bathroom door & walked out.  He had been unable to stall any longer.  Mazurka was right.  He would become a prune.  He tiptoed along to his room, hoping to avoid detection.

Rave however, had noticed Shakey's emergence from the Bathroom.  A thoughtful look crossed her face, then she rose & silently followed him down the hallway.

When Shakey turned to close his door, he came face to face with Rave.

Shakey blinked, 'uh-oh…'

Rave looked placidly at him, "Do not worry.  If you want to talk, we will listen.  We do not want to upset or embarrass you.  We want you as a friend."

With that, Rave turned & walked back to Mazurka.

Rave made a polite bow to Mazurka, "Your talk was informative, & I look forward to having more of them.  I think I should go home now, as I do not want to start any more rumours."

Mazurka smiled at the girl, "Anytime!"

The door closed behind Rave, & silence fell over the Kutsarug household.

In his room, Shakey lay in bed, mulling over the events of the day…

'A woman's reputation is particularly fragile…  Treat her well…'

…Shakey hadn't missed the 'OR ELSE' implied in those few words…

'We want you as a friend…'

…Nor had Shakey missed the genuine offer of simple friendship…

A soft knock on his bedroom door interrupted Shakey's thoughts.

"Shakey?" Mazurka asked, "Are you all right?  Can I come in?"

"Yeah…" Shakey called back.

His door opened revealing a concerned looking Mazurka.

Mazurka leaned casually on the doorframe, "I had a little talk with Rave about various things…  I was wondering if you'd like to talk about any of what's happened?"

"Uh…  I should be fine…" Shakey not altogether lied, "My father… had a talk with me about… things… today…"

Mazurka lifted a disbelieving eyebrow, "So I heard…  If you want to talk, I'm here…  If you want a woman's perspective on the issue…"

A troubled look flitted over Shakey's face, "Actually…  There is something…"

Mazurka came in & sat on the edge of Shakey's bed, "I'm listening…"

"I found out… yesterday…  about some of the rumours…  I told the others that there wasn't anything… going on… but…"

Mazurka nodded, encouraging Shakey to continue.

Shakey sighed, "But…  This morning…  The rumours had gotten worse…"

Mazurka smiled knowingly, "That's just how rumours often are.  Unless they're killed off immediately, they only keep growing once they've started."

"But I tried to stop them…"

"Sometimes it takes more than the efforts of a single person to stop a rumour."

Shakey worried over that for a bit, finally asking, "Mazurka?  I didn't tell Rave about the first lot of rumours.  I didn't want her to be upset…  But, if I had told her… would it have stopped her from being attacked?"

"Huh!  Probably not!  Some people will use any excuse for their actions they can find.  Those 'wolves' probably heard the rumours, & thought Rave was 'easy' prey.  I'm glad they had a shock, if they had attacked one of the other girls in your class…"

Mazurka didn't need to elaborate.  Although Shakey was only a teenager, he'd heard enough stories about what groups of thugs could do to defenceless girls.

Mazurka tried to sound reassuring, "Don't fret about it.  You didn't tell her for the right reasons.  But, IF there's ever a 'next' time, I want you to tell me about them…  Preferably, as soon as possible!"

Shakey looked at the woman who had taken him in.  "I will," he promised.

Mazurka seemed relieved, "Rave & the Clones… are not as… 'well informed' about certain things as they should be.  From my talk with Rave, I believe they know enough about the 'Medical' side of such things, but not about the social & emotional aspects.  I'll be having more talks with them about… various things…"

"In the mean time," Mazurka looking directly at Shakey, "They won't always know what to do in a situation.  They'll need someone to watch out for them."

Shakey's eyes grew wide with apprehension, "Are you asking me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're their friend, & they trust you…"

Shakey blushed slightly, "…oh…"

"And so do I.  I wouldn't ask you, unless I thought you were up to the job."

"Okay…  I'll keep an eye out for them…"

Mazurka smiled, "Thanks!  I really appreciate it!"

With that, Mazurka closed the door, leaving both of them to their thoughts…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Final Thoughts.

Later that night, Rave synchronised with the other Clones.

Our ignorance of Human Relationships caused rumours that upset Shakey

If we try to have him as our boyfriend, he may be hurt

We do not want to hurt him

We want him to be happy

If we cannot make him happy…

We will not stop him being happy with another

But we will try to make him happy

We will learn about 'Friendship'

It will take time

But we will try

At the very least…

We will be a Friend to him

This is how Mazurka told us a Friend acts to another…

There followed an in-depth recap of everything Mazurka had ever told Rave about Friendship, & her other talks as well.

SO…

We will use this knowledge

We will try not to make mistakes

We will take care

In showing how we care

In the morning, Rave would awaken with a new sense of purpose & direction in her life, as would the other Clones…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 5 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Morning.

As Rave entered, Shakey noticed something different about the girl.  Her usually unkempt mass of hair had been neatly combed until it had a smooth silky sheen.

"Your hair looks nice like that," Shakey tried to make a genuine compliment.

"Nice?" Rave scowled, "I spend ALL night, doing my hair…  Slaving over my appearance in an attempt to show I care about you…  And YOU say it looks NICE?"

**WHACK** Shakey went down like a bag of spuds, as Rave king-hit him with her handbag… err… I mean… school port…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Running The Gauntlet.

…At the bottom of the heap, Shakey's torment was just starting…

And no… it wasn't just the B.O. of the other players, barely hidden beneath the gallons of 'el cheapo' aftershave they used.

"So…  Atari…" said one of the opposing team players, "While we've got you here…  What was she like?"

"Yeah!" another eagerly queried, "Did you use any 'special' techniques on her?"

"Teach Us O Master!" implored another, "How didst thou thaw the Ice Maiden?"

"Oh GOD!" groaned Shakey, "It's NOT like that…"

"Oh?" leered another, "What WAS it like then?"

"Wella, Wella, Wella, HUH!  Tell us more, Tell us more!" they all chorused…

Shakey began singing, "Summer Loving, Had me a Blast…"

Things quickly degenerated into a 'Grease' Rip-off…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Wolves.

Rave extracted her cell phone from her skirt pocket & rang NERVIS Security.

"First Pilot here.  There has been an incident in the School.  I need Back-Up…"

"Roger First.  Team on way.  ETA one minute.  Please await pickup by Team."

"First Pilot acknowledges.  End Transmission."

Rave stood silently despite thinking, 'Now I cannot meet Shakey…'

"And it's all **YOUR** fault!" Rave screamed at the helpless pack of thugs.  Then Rave 'put the boot in', & kicked the living C--P out of them…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Hitting the Fan #1.

Fu2ok snorted, "And just how 'well-timed' will these 'breakdowns' be?"

Glando smirked, "Anticipated maintenance, has already been… accounted… for…"

Fu2ok smiled, "This is what I really love about Government contract jobs.  They're just so… so… 'lucrative'…"

Glando grinned, "Indeed…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Hitting the Fan #2.

Glando paused before continuing, in sombre tones, "Fu2ok.  I want you to monitor the meeting from a secure location.  If things go badly…"

"I'll take over command…"

"Correct."

"I'll see you later then," Fu2ok walked off.

"I sincerely hope so," Glando muttered in reply.

The first indication that the interrogation might not go as smoothly as Glando hoped, was when the doors to his office vanished in an explosive fireball…

Rave strode through the flaming rubble, A Rocket launcher held in one hand, a belt fed machinegun in the other.  Her eyes glowed with an inner fire…

Glando began to sweat…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Speaking First.

"Shakey?" Glando interrupted on hearing the change from 'Pilot Atari'.

Rave blushed slightly, & her expression wavered, "Yes Sir.  He… prefers all of we Clones to call him Shakey, rather than Pilot Atari."

"I… see…" Glando murmured, seeing a LOT more than just two people on a friendly first name basis…

'Ye GODS!' Glando thought in awe, 'When I was his age, I was on a friendly 'first name' basis with less than a dozen girls…  But my son's on a 'first-name' basis with all 137 of the Clones?  Has that D----D Fan Fiction Writer been watching DNA2 again?'

NOTE!  DNA2 had the 'Mega-Playboy', a guy who all women found irresistible…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Wrong Words #1.

In a Secure Medical Ward somewhere in the NERVIS Base, six young men were feeling the worse for wear.  All of them sported a variety of bandages & limb splints.  Going by their conversations, not only were their bodies injured, but their pride as well.

"How could she take us down like that?  She was just a chick?"

"Karate man…  She musta used karate on us…"

"Steel caps!" shrilled one with a heavily bandaged crotch area, "Don't forget the steel caps on her shoes…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Wrong Words #2

Glando addressed the group, "I am going to ask you questions.  You will answer.  If you do not answer, or try to lie, you will be shot.  A joint at a time."

"I'm not bluffing," Glando's voice was full of quiet menace, "You have the right to throw your lives away as painfully as you wish…  Your choice…"

To the credit of the punks, Glando only had to shoot two of them…

…The rest of the shootings were just Glando's way of being 'thorough'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Third Thoughts.

'What does my father want to see me for?' Shakey had been torturing himself with the possibilities ever since he found out.  He turned to the Guards, "Err…  Do you know what my father wants to see me about?"

The Guards replied, "We wouldn't know that," but the looks they gave Shakey practically screamed 'You Poor B-----D!' at him.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Hard Questions.

"Security will take you home," Glando advised in a cold voice, his finger already pressing a button to summon the guards outside.

As the doors to his office opened to admit the Guards, Glando said something surprising to the weepy human wreck in the chair before him…

Glando sighed, "The fact you haven't started dating yet, has been a source of considerable concern to me.  I had hoped that these rumours might…  I mean…  Son!  You're our 'Top Gun' AVE Pilot!  You're young, reasonably good looking, & you have a job that's a guaranteed Chick-Magnet!  Why aren't you beating the girls off with a stick?"

Shakey just sat there.

"You ARE interested in girls, aren't you?" Glando asked nervously, slightly worried at the range of possible answers THAT question might provide.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Home Stretch #1.

"Thank You," Mazurka advised the Guards with what looked like forced cheer, "I'll take over from here…"

The Guards handed Shakey over, with a fleeting look of pity on their faces for their charge that practically screamed 'You **POOR** B-----D!'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Home Stretch #2.

"Mazurka?  May I come over & see him?"

"Sure, if you feel up to it.  Do you want me to pick you up?"

"No.  I have transport…"

Rave hurried downstairs to where Security held their vigil in an 'unmarked' car.  She was in a hurry, so she just ripped the drivers door off & flung it across the parking lot.  The startled driver followed soon after.

The remaining Security guard watched in stunned disbelief as Rave plopped herself into the drivers seat, & 'redlined' the engine.

Although she had never had a driving lesson, Rave was confident she could drive the vehicle.  After all, she had carefully observed how Mazurka drove hers…

…Which is why Rave left a 30-foot strip of burnt rubber behind her as she blasted off on the wrong side of the road…

A few minutes later, & Rave had successfully made her way to Mazurka's.

"Please wait here," Rave informed the nervous wreck in the passenger seat.

As soon as Rave had gone, the Security guard rang the Commanders Emergency Phone number…  It picked up after the fifth ring.

"Click.  Hi, This is Glando Atari, Evil B-----D In Charge.  I'm unavailable to take your call right now, but please leave a message at the tone.  Deeee…"

"Sir!" whimpered a terrified voice, "Rave's gone NUTS!  She just stole a Security vehicle, performed 62 traffic violations & side wiped 13 Police cars…  I think she's been watching 'The Blues Brothers' again…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Home Stretch #3

Shakey breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing as the fear & worry left, 'Good old Security!  I needn't have worried after all…  Although…  It would have been dangerous…  If Rave had been by herself…'

The Fan Fiction Writer suddenly realised the POTENTIAL of such a comment, & initiated an 'Alternate Universe' Flashback…

Rave extracted her cell phone from her skirt pocket to call NERVIS Security.  She paused, noting that the particular spot she was in, was not under any sort of electronic surveillance.  That meant, Security wouldn't know about the situation, unless Rave told them.

…It also meant that no one knew about the thug's current situation either…

Rave wore an EVIL GRIN as she advanced menacingly on the damaged thugs, ominously cracking her knuckles, "Looks like 'stress relief' time to me…"

…Rave never did make that call to Security…

Nor did anyone ever find the bodies…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Dinnertime Conversation.

Mazurka stared slack-jawed at Rave, 'I thought I'd have to tell them about the 'Birds & the Bees', but it appears they may know already…'

"Rave, where did you hear those terms?"

"Mazurka…  I'm a Clone."

"So?"

Rave sighed, & gently explained, "So…  When you spend your whole lives climbing in & out of a glass tube that puts your memories into a group of bodies identical to yours, you tend to need something a bit more believable than having being found in a Cabbage Patch…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - No Escape.

"Hey Shakey!" Mazurka's loud voice penetrated the thin walls, "Don't soak too long, or you'll turn into a Prune!"

'There's no hurry,' Shakey told himself, 'If I go out, Rave will want me to tell her what rumours I heard…  I don't think I could handle that right now…'

Shakey lay back & let the warm water work its peaceful magic.

Within minutes, he was asleep, & dreaming…

He was finishing a long relaxing bath.  When he got out to dry himself, he discovered that he had indeed turned into a Prune.

A real one!  A giant dried Plum…  Albeit one with skinny arms & legs.

'Oh no!' he thought, 'Mazurka was right!  I did turn into a Prune!  I look like one of the California Raisins on steroids!'

"Mazurka!" Shakey wailed as he left the bathroom, "I turned into a Prune!"

Unfortunately for Shakey, Rave was still in the apartment.  She took one look at the Shakey sized Prune, & her Ferocious Vegetarian Hunting Instincts took over.

"Mmmm!  Prune!" Rave drooled at the healthy sight.  She quickly tied a napkin around her throat, & grabbed a carving knife & fork from the kitchen.

Shakey saw the Predatory Glint in Rave's eyes as she stalked towards him.  He began to sweat as he remembered she was a vegetarian…

…And he was now an oversized piece of dried fruit…

The Shakey-Prune ran out of the apartment, with a ravenous Rave in hot pursuit…

Shakey suddenly woke up, sloshing water everywhere.  "I'm never eating Prune Danish again," he wailed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	7. 06 House

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 06 "House"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Study.

Glando Atari sat in his office, his attention focussed on the book he was reading.  The top of his desk was obscured by many other books & folders, with most of them book-marked, or else left open at a particular page.

A casual glance would reveal that many of the books & folders were scientific research papers.  The topics covered were wide & varied, but were mostly items dealing with Physiology & Psychology, especially as they applied to Twins.

One of Glando's phones rang.  He promptly closed his book & picked it up, "Report."

Fu2ok's dry voice answered, "We're just finishing preventative maintenance.  Final calibrations should be finished late today."

"I see.  Then we will start first thing tomorrow."

"I still have my doubts about this…  While your schedule will get through the Clones in short order, 'breakdowns' permitting, I still feel the injured may skew the overall test results…"

"We will test all of the healthy ones first.  This will give the injured time in which to recover."

"But even so," Fu2ok didn't sound convinced, "Will they have healed enough, by the time the others finish?"

"If necessary, we will conduct Secondary follow-up tests on the healthy Clones, before starting Initial tests on the injured.  There won't be any problem, the injured will have adequate time in which to heal."

"Hmmm…" Fu2ok considered Glando's plan, "Well…  It will give us more accurate data, but… it'll also extend the time needed to complete Primary testing.  The Committee won't be tolerant of any delay in getting their results…"

Glando countered smoothly, "The Committee ordered us to test all of the Clones.  We will be diligent in following their orders.  They said they wanted valid data.  We will give it to them.  No matter how long it takes."

Fu2ok sighed, "Very well then.  Should I inform Mazurka to start scheduling the Clones for the tests?"

"No.  She is to see me shortly on another matter.  I will tell her then."

"By the way, any luck with the 'paperwork' on your desk?"

Glando smirked, "Yes.  They have given me ideas for some extra tests we can conduct to verify what we suspect.  I'll discuss the details with you later."

"I'll see you then," Fu2ok hung up.

Glando hung up his phone, & picked up the book he had been reading.

The title on the book Glando held was 'Methods of Double-Blind Testing, A Sceptics Guide to Investigating & Debunking Claims of the Para-Normal'.  Written several decades ago, the book detailed various means of investigating alleged Para-Normal incidents, using scientific methods.

…As well as detailing the many methods used by frauds & fakes…

Glando resumed reading…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Offer.

Mazurka stood nervously outside Glando's office, trying to steel herself for their upcoming meeting.

'No doubt he wants to talk about 'those' rumours about Shakey & Rave…  He'll probably chew me out over it…'

As per Glando's 'request' the day before, Mazurka had shown up first thing in the morning.  So far, she'd only been waiting half an hour, time she'd spent going over what might happen in the meeting, & what she should do & say to them.

The appearance of a Security Agent interrupted Mazurka's musings.

"The Commander will see you now," the Agent gruffly stated, before conducting Mazurka into Glando's office.

"Good morning Major," Glando sat in his usual position, behind a desk devoid of any books or folders.

"Sir," Mazurka replied, standing at attention, & bracing herself for the 'chewing out' she expected.

Glando started by dropping a different bombshell…

"The Clones will start testing for suitability as AVE Pilots, from 08:00 AM tomorrow.  I expect you to schedule their activities accordingly."

The unexpected news caught Mazurka off-balance, by sheer mental reflex she began running the numbers automatically, 'Lets' see, 3 test plugs…  It takes several days, say a week, to do a full series of tests on someone…  So… 3 Clones a week…  137 divided by 3 is 46 weeks, or about a year, taking 'downtime' & system failures into account…  The injured will have plenty of time to heal…"

"Yes Sir," Mazurka confirmed, 'If I've got a year, things will be easy enough…'

Then Glando dropped another bombshell…

"We need to test all of them as soon as possible, so we will be running tests around the clock," Glando slowly smirked, "Systems downtime permitting…"

Mazurka re-calculated things in her head, 'If we do that…  We could get up to 8 uses of each plug per day, so that means…  8 times as many Clones in a week…  46 divided by 8 is about 6 weeks to do them all…  Oh no…  The injured…'

"B-but Sir?  Some of them are badly injured!" Mazurka protested the obvious.

"I know that Major," Glando stared at Mazurka, "I've seen the results of the medical tests conducted on the injured.  We will only test the healthy Clones, & in the time that takes, the injured will have time to regain their health."

"Y-Yes Sir," Mazurka's stammer betrayed how uneasy she was with the scheme.  She knew just how badly injured some of the Clones were, 'Regain their health?  By what definition?'

…Then Glando dropped a Nuke…

"And while I've got you here Major, I'd like to have a little talk with you concerning those rumours about my son & Rave…"

The following 'little talk' was not really a 'chewing out'.  It was more like a 'thorough discussion' of the matter.  The highlights included Glando's official appraisal about the attack on Rave…

"…and after investigating the matter personally," Glando's voice wasn't quite a smug purr, "I could only conclude, that this situation occurred because Rave was not properly integrated into Civilian Society…"

'Oh Yeah?'  Mazurka kept her sarcastic thoughts to herself, 'And just how 'integrated' were the jerks who attacked her?'

"To prevent any more incidents like this, the Clones will undergo 'Cultural Integration & Assimilation' programs, to ensure that they receive a thorough grounding in Modern Society…"

'I've got a bad feeling about this…' Mazurka's suspicions were aroused.

"Since you are their Guardian, I'll leave the curriculum up to you…"

"Yes Sir," Mazurka knew she had no choice but to accept things, "On that matter…  During the recent 'rumours' situation, I was first made aware of the level of education Rave has about the 'Facts of Life'."

Glando made no reaction.

Mazurka pressed on, "After talking to Rave, I determined that she has a very good understanding of the relevant Medical & Anatomical information, but that she is severely lacking in the Emotional & Social issues associated with such knowledge.  I believe…"

Glando quietly interrupted, "When did you find this out Major?"

Mazurka paused, trying to gauge Glando's mood, "Last night when Rave came to my apartment."

"How are things between her & my son?"

"Ah…" caught unprepared by the comment, Mazurka stumbled over the answer, "They appear to be on good terms with each other…"

"How good?"

Mazurka gulped, Glando's tone was changing subtly, "Just Friends as far as I can tell…"

"Just… Friends…" Glando slowly repeated, looking intensely at Mazurka.

"Y-Yes Sir…" Mazurka stammered, aware of the razor's edge she was standing on,  "Just Friends.  She was even helping him out with his homework the night before last when I…"

"Major," Glando suddenly took control of the conversation, "I am aware that Rave is… fond… of Shakey.  I am also aware that he is… fond… of her…"

The hairs on the back of Mazurka's neck began to stand up, a part of her mind realising, 'This is getting Dangerous…!'

Glando's attitude hardened, "I have already told Shakey, that I do not wish to be made aware of any further 'rumours' about improper relationships involving Pilots.  Let alone facts…"

"But Sir, it wasn't his fault that…"

"I realise that," Glando's voice rose in volume, "But it does not matter whose fault it was, or even IF there was any substance to the rumours!  The rumours started, & because of them, we almost had a serious incident with Rave!"

Mazurka stood silently, trying not to make things worse.

Glando paused, "I realise that what happened was not their fault…  No one can prevent the fevered imaginings of the idle & perverse, from either being created, nor from finding an audience…"

Glando looked Mazurka in the eye, "THIS time, we were lucky…  Rave was able to defend herself, even though it was six against one, & they had knives.  I hope there is not a 'next' time, because if there is, the end result may be less favourable to those… responsible…"

"What COULD have happened to Rave…" Glando glared ominously at Mazurka as he trailed off suggestively, "Has made me decide that the Clones must learn 'Self-Defence', as well as 'other' skills applicable to their lives as AVE pilots, should they prove compatible…"

"Yes Sir," Mazurka decided meek agreement was the best policy.

"To that end, I will make a deal with you Major.  You will conduct the Social aspects of the Cultural Integration & Assimilation curriculum, while other personnel will train the Clones in Self-Defence & related matters…"

"Yes Sir," was all Mazurka said, despite her suspicions, 'Why split this up?  For that matter, why train the Clones in self-defence?  Rave#3 wasn't 'trained' in the time she's been… 'alive'…  If all her knowledge came from the memory downloads, then all the other Clones should know what she does, & be able to defend themselves as she can!  Injuries permitting…'

Glando's expression softened, matching the spirit of magnanimity that seemed to be in his words, "I have no intention of over-burdening you Major, so I will oversee the other training myself."

Mazurka was openly suspicious now, she was about to speak when Glando threw a verbal hand grenade into their discussion.

"That leaves only the matter of permanent accommodation for the Clones…" once again, Glando suddenly changed the topic & off-balanced Mazurka.

"What?"

Glando ignored Mazurka's comment, "A facility has been constructed, & merely awaits final furnishing.  As their Guardian, & as the person in charge of expenditure, you will need to see to that."

"Really?" in her eagerness over the first good news she'd had all day, Mazurka shelved her other thoughts until a later time.

"The facility consists of two buildings," Glando confirmed, "One is a modern apartment block, intended to act as contemporary housing.  The other is a customised storage building, to be used for training & initial accommodation.  Both of them are Restricted Access…"

"Restricted access?" the words were out before Mazurka knew she'd said them.

Glando paused, staring at Mazurka in a way that made her feel uncomfortable, "These 'rumours' have convinced me that the Clones will be in danger if they are put out into the community.  I intend for them to have a place where they can live & train in relative safety."

"So it's a 'Half-way House' for them then, is it?" Mazurka was feeling suspicious again, but didn't know exactly why…

"You could say that…  Do you have any questions?"

"Yes sir, when can they start moving in?"

"Today."

"Today?"

"The buildings are ready, the budget is approved, as soon as you leave this office, you will move the Clones into their new lodgings."

"Even the injured Sir?"

"You need only worry about moving the Healthy Clones.  Those in the Secure Medical Facilities, will stay there for the duration of their convalescence.  They will move when their injuries permit."

"Yes Sir!  Thank You Sir!" Mazurka was enthusiastic at the prospects, 'Now I can get the girls decent accommodation, food, bedding, clothing…!'

Then Glando nonchalantly added, "As to the extra security restrictions…"

'Uh-Oh,' Mazurka's elation was suddenly shot down.

"To start with.  The Clones may only leave their compound under authorisation from myself.  While in their compound, the Clones may only contact authorised personnel.  The Clones may not reveal the existence of their compound, nor may they reveal the location of their compound.  These steps are necessary to keep the existence of the Clones a secret."

'You've got to be kidding?' Mazurka was unwilling to accept the argument, 'Lots of people already know that there are quite a few girls who look like Rave…'

Glando clarified, "I do not intend for their abode to become some cheap tourist gimmick.  Nor do I intend for it to become a lure for the curious, or for those whose intentions towards the Clones may be… unhealthy…  Do I make myself clear?"

Mazurka understood, "Yes Sir!"

Glando seemed to relax slightly, "Eventually, these restrictions will be lifted.  After the Clones have learned to live safely among our society… and they have proven it to my satisfaction…"

"Yes Sir," Mazurka played it safe.

"To assist you, I've arranged transport from dock 7.  The Catering Corps will continue to provide meals, although a Security detail will deliver the food.  If you have no further questions Major, you may assume your new duties."

"Sir?" one thing did prey on Mazurka's mind, "Will I get permanent staff?"

"No," Glando was economical with his reply.

"Sir?" Mazurka tried another tack, "May I request the temporary help of NERVIS staff on an ongoing ad hoc basis, as per operational necessity?"

Glando paused as if to consider the request, "I see no reason why not.  As long as it does not interfere with their professional duties… or Shakey's schooling…"

Glando emphasised the importance of his comment with a hard stare, making Mazurka more nervous than she had been.

"Th-thank You Sir," Mazurka saluted & gladly left the office…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Other Orders.

Glando sat silently for several minutes after the doors closed behind Mazurka.  Then he picked up his phone, & dialled.  It rang three times, before being picked up.

"Yes?" asked the soft voice of Rave Imanonymous #3.

"Rave," Glando stated, "Scrambler."

A scratchy noise warbled over the phone.  Satisfied, Glando activated his own scrambler unit, & the noise disappeared.

"Rave."

"Yes Sir."

"I have new orders for you.  Starting tomorrow, we will begin Pilot Suitability Testing of the Others.  Your involvement will be required.  I want you at the facility by 08:00 AM, prepped & ready."

"Yes Sir."

"Until I advise you otherwise, you are excused from School, & all other Official duties.  I will have Security pick you up around 07:00 AM.  Be ready for them."

"Yes Sir."

"One last thing.  Your part in these tests is on a 'need to know' basis.  Do not tell anyone else about the tests.  Do not discuss the matter with anyone else.  Those needing to know, will find out through official channels.  Is that Clear?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good girl.  That is all."  Glando hung up his phone, & deactivated his scrambler.  He then made another call.

"This is me," Glando stated in a low voice.

"I have new orders concerning the First Pilot.  I want Security to transport her to the test facility at 07:00 AM tomorrow morning."

Glando paused to listen.

"No.  The containment system in her apartment block is to remain armed.  The other security arrangements will remain in place.  I want the… Others… kept under high surveillance as well.  Advise me immediately of any unusual activities, or events.  Advise the 'specialists' to stand ready…"

Glando paused again.

"I'm aware of that.  You will have enough spare men, once the Others are secured in their new buildings.  Arm the containment systems before they arrive."

Another pause.

"No.  Use the Nerve Gas first.  Use of the 'full' system is a last resort option.  Authorisation for that, will need to come from 'Omega' level Command staff.  Do I make myself clear?"

Glando smiled slightly.

"Good.  That is all."

Glando hung up his phone, & made one last call.  The phone rang several times, before being picked up.

"Sub-Commander Fu2ok here, report."

"Fu2ok.  We start at 08:00 AM tomorrow.  With all of the tests…"

"I… see," Fu2ok replied guardedly, "I'll advise the relevant personnel."

Glando hung up the phone.  He then took a folder from a desk drawer, & began to read…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Packing.

Mazurka strode into the Clones temporary dormitory.  She stopped just inside the door, hands on her hips, & surveyed the scene.

Makeshift beds lay in neat rows, some were occupied, most weren't.  Clones performed their duties, others sat on folding chairs at tables, reading books.

"Listen UP Ladies!" Mazurka bellowed in her best 'Drill Instructor' voice.

All through the dormitory, heads swivelled in Mazurka's direction.

"We're moving OUT of this Rat Hole!  TODAY!  We've been assigned new quarters, & we need to be set up in them as soon as possible.  Why?  Because we've ALSO got orders to start Pilot testing from tomorrow at 08:00 AM, SHARP!"

"Ladies…" Mazurka took a deep breath to refuel her voice, "Your new home has some new rules as well.  You need the Commander's authorisation to leave the new premises.  You can only contact authorised personnel.  You must keep your existence a secret.  You must NOT reveal the existence, NOR the location of your new home.  Do you understand these rules?"

All of the Clones nodded.

'I'll remind them later on, just to be on the safe side,' Mazurka made a mental note before continuing, "I haven't seen the new facilities yet.  But the Commander HIMSELF, informed me that they are 'Modern'.  Even so, there will be logistical problems in moving & setting up, so I want all of you to make good use of our current facilities.  While you still can!"

Mazurka began issuing orders, "We'll move out in stages, but we won't be finished with our current facilities before lunch at the earliest.  I want all of you fed, showered & in clean clothes when you leave this Dump!  Change the dressings on the wounded, & get all of the laundry done, BEFORE we leave!"

"The first thing we'll shift, is bedding!  Pack your bed if you're not using it!  Wounded will keep using theirs until we're ready to move them.  All furniture is to be folded & packed, AFTER you finish using it for chores, & meal use.  Catering is supposed to deliver meals to us, but I want you to prepare food to take with us, something that can be eaten cold."

"Now!  I want those on the next Chores shift, to pack your beds, then assemble beside me.  You'll come with me to the new premises, & get things up & running.  The rest of you will help those currently on Chores, however you can.  Now get TO it Ladies!" Mazurka clapped her hands for emphasis.

The Dormitory became a hive of planned activity.  In short order, most of the bedding was stowed.  The wounded received bed-baths, & had their clothing changed along with their bandages.  Lines began forming for the showers, with Clones taking discarded clothes to the laundry.  Others started preparing food…

A small group of Clones quickly accumulated around Mazurka.

Mazurka quietly counted them, "Ladies, you're the next Chores shift?"

All of the Clones nodded.

"Right!  Come with me," Mazurka led the small group out of the Dormitory.  They wound their way through corridors, past several Security checkpoints, until they arrived at Loading Dock 7.

…The sight of a shabby box-bed cargo truck & two Security Agents dressed like redneck truckers was an anti-climax…

"Major Kutsarug!" the Security Agents snapped to attention & saluted Mazurka.

Mazurka blinked.  She looked at the men, then the truck, then she looked back at the men & demanded while gesturing at the truck, "What the H--L is this?  We're supposed to be moving people!"

"That's right, Ma'am!" the Agents swung the cargo box doors open, "This is a Covert Transport Model!"

A heavy curtain hung just inside the cargo box doors, adding an extra layer of security between the cargo bed & any view that might be had through the open doors.  When a Agent moved the curtain aside, Mazurka could see a single row of seats lining the walls inside the cargo bed of the truck, the inward-facing seats surrounding a tangled web of cargo nets & straps in the centre of the cargo bed.  Above the seats were numerous shelves & brackets, & disguised gunport slots.  There were no windows to the cargo box, an air vent behind the driver's cabin was the only source of fresh air other than the open cargo doors.

Muttering something under her breath, Mazurka waved the Clones into the back of the truck.  Mazurka & the Clones seated themselves as the Security agents shut the cargo doors.  A few seconds later, the truck's engine rumbled into life & the truck started moving.

It was a more pleasant ride than Mazurka had feared.  The ventilator supplied plenty of fresh tasting air, & the ride itself wasn't rough at all, but more like being in a family car.  Most surprisingly though, was how quiet it was inside the cargo box, the rumble of the truck engine being felt rather than heard, & street noise noticeable in its absence.

'Okay, so it's not a cattle car,' Mazurka grudgingly conceded…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Inspection.

A truck rumbled through the streets of the city, the two scruffy truckies in the cabin obviously having another boring day.  All in all, it was an unexceptional vehicle, despite its contents being very out of the ordinary…

The truck containing Mazurka & the Clones, rumbled through the streets of the city, making many twists & turns in its journey…

'Why are we making so many turns?' Mazurka was more than slightly concerned, 'Are they trying to confuse someone watching us?  Or is this just more typical Security mentality at work?'

Eventually, the truck stopped.  The engine idled to a dull throb, then it revved & the truck rolled forward.  The truck stopped again, the engine slow idling then revving again, the truck making slow turns.  Then the truck stopped again & the engine turned off completely.

'Sounds like we might be there…" Mazurka unbuckled herself in anticipation.

There was a thud as the cargo doors started opening.  Mazurka cautiously put her hand on her holstered gun.

"You can get out now," one of the Security Agents advised, "We're here…"

Mazurka breathed a sigh of relief, & withdrew her hand from her gun.  As she was already up & near the door, she was the first out of the truck & into…

…An 'industrial sized' loading dock…

Grey concrete walls & support pillars surrounded a spacious loading dock.  The monotonous grey colour scheme was only broken by the colour schemes of the various building utility systems, & by warning signs & floor markings.  At opposite ends to each other on the loading dock, were the twin doors of freight elevators & the smaller glass-fronted door of an office.  In between the two extremes were other doorways with signs warning of building services plant.

It was all a bit of a let down for Mazurka…  Then she saw the door they had evidently come in through.  It was a two-storey tall armoured 'Roller Shutter' roll down door, similar to those used on the 'Secure Entries' to the Armament Buildings.

Mazurka tilted her head back, sweat-dropping as she looked at the arrangement of armoured metal, 'When he said 'restricted access'…  If I remember correctly, Loading Docks in Armament buildings are secured by two of those things…  That must be why the truck had that odd 'stop/start' bit.  We were in the 'Secure Zone' between them…  Which means…'

Mazurka's face fell as she put two & two together, & smelled a penny pinching rat, '…we're in some sort of Armament Building?  Oh Great!  I hope this has been refurbished as a training facility, & not as housing…'

A glum Mazurka turned to one of the Security Agents, "Will you be giving us a guided tour?"

"No Ma'am," the Agent replied, "We have no idea of the layout of this place.  We also have orders not to go past this loading dock area.  However…"

The Agent handed Mazurka a bulky sealed envelope covered with Security Warnings.  The package was inscribed with the message, 'Major Kutsarug - EYES ONLY!'  Mazurka hefted the envelope, finding it rather heavy for its size.

"No Problem," Mazurka replied with as much cheer as she could muster, "We'll take over from here.  Will you wait here for us while we inspect the premises?"

"Yes Ma'am," confirmed the Agent, "We're strictly chauffeurs.  Here.  You may find these useful…" He handed over a torch, measuring tape, note pad, & pen.

"Oh Thanks!" Mazurka plastered a false smile on her face, "Well, I guess I'll see you later!"

Mazurka broke the seal on the envelope as she walked over to the freight elevators at the end of the loading dock.  Secured by a rubber band inside the envelope, were two 'Building Guide' information booklets, two sets of keys, & another sealed envelope.  Mazurka opened the second envelope & found a letter from the Commander, & a new NERVIS charge card.

"Major Kutsarug," the letter read, "Contents of envelopes are as follows.  This letter, Special Charge Card, TWO Facility Guides, TWO sets of Master keys.  Extra Guides & keys are in a Security safe in the Main Office - Loading Dock level.  Distribute as per standard 'Secure Access' guidelines.  Utilities such as Water, Power, Air Conditioning, Communication, Computer, & Security have been turned on.  All supplies, including furniture, bedding, clothing, hygiene, food, & kitchen supplies need to be requisitioned urgently by yourself.  Catering Corps will deliver meals until further notice.  Charge card is for use in supplying this Facility.  That is all - Commander Atari."

Mazurka read the note a second time, then skimmed through one of the books, 'Hmmm…  Let's see…  Standard Security B--LS--T…  No stairs from this level to the ones above…  Other levels connected by stairs & freight lifts…'

After a brief few minutes assimilating data, Mazurka turned to the Clones.

"Right," Mazurka held up the books for the others to see, "These books are about the buildings we're in.  All of you will need to know the information in them.  I'll give the books to two of you to read.  I want you to read them, & then pass them on to the others.  I'll read the books later on, so that we all know the building layouts…"

The Clones nodded.  Two of them took the books Mazurka offered, & began to read.

Mazurka jingled the keys, "I've also got two sets of keys for these buildings.  This is only temporary, until we can get a Duty roster going, but I'll keep one set, & assign the other set to one of you."

The Clones nodded, & the Clone nearest Mazurka reached out to take the keys.

"Now!" Mazurka widened her hopeless smile, "Let's go tour your new Home…"

Mazurka turned to the elevator control panel & looked over the floor guide that was printed beside the call buttons.

'Right…  No basement below this…  Ground level is Loading Dock & Building Plant, next two are General Storage, then 2 Dormitory levels, Canteen, & Training levels…  And there's no stairs, so we have to take the lift…'

"We'll start at the Canteen level first.  We might as well make sure that we can cook supper if we need to…"

'If nothing else,' Mazurka ruefully decided, 'The chance to make a hot meal for themselves will build morale…'

The inspection had mixed results…

At the Canteen level, the lift doors opened onto a poorly lit room.  Several halogen lights shone from the ceiling just outside the lift doors, lighting small spots of the chequered linoleum floor.  The rest of the floor was in darkness, the light rapidly fading off into the murk.

Mazurka strained her eyes in the gloom, 'Emergency lights?'

"First question," Mazurka mumbled to herself as she looked around, "Where are the light switches for this level?"

The Clones answered in unison, "Between the lifts, just as you exit."

Mazurka was somewhat startled, 'Are they 'speed-readers' or something?  There's no way all of them could have read those information booklets in the time we took to get here…'

"Uh…  I'll just check…" Mazurka found the light switches were right where the Clones said they would be.  A quick flick of a switch, & the lights came on, revealing the room beyond…

Instead of a lift lobby, the lifts opened directly onto a large empty hall.  The only difference between it & a Food Court in a shopping complex, was the absence of any furniture.  Despite being able to smell the newness of the linoleum, the emptiness of the room gave it an eerily deserted feel.

The wall that housed the lift doors, also had archways at the extreme ends, along with signs that indicated the presence of toilets.  The walls adjoining the wall with the lifts, were bare & empty, their only decoration a coat of cream coloured paint.

Some distance from the remaining far wall, a long stainless steel table marked the boundary between the kitchen & the empty food court.  Supported by stainless steel cabinets underneath, the table had a good ten feet of walk space between it & the walls that passed either end.  Ranks of upright fridges & freezers lined the walls on the far side of the steel table, facing 'island' benches & cook tops.  Wall ovens & benches covered the furthest wall.

A quick check revealed that the Canteen had neither food nor cooking utensils in it, although all of the appliances were modern & brand sparkling new.  The refrigerators had been turned on, & they were cold & ready to store food.

The archways led to 'hand washing areas' of mirrors & wash basins, then a row of toilet cubicles that stretched to more mirrors & wash basins beside the exit/entrance of the other archway.  The toilet cubicles were well appointed, being designed for use by the 'handicapped'.  Accordingly, all of the toilet cubicles were roomy, but strictly utilitarian.  The fact the Hot Water Systems had been turned on, was a pleasant surprise…

…The fact there were no 'Hygiene Supplies' in the toilets was not…

Mazurka took notes, 'No food, no tables, no chairs, no pots or pans, knives, forks etc…  No soap, no toilet paper, no feminine hygiene products either…  Well, we can make do with what we'll bring with us for a day or two…  But even so, we'd better get some supplies in quickly!  Stores should be able to do that without any problems, but I'd better ask Rave which ones she… I mean, they use.  No sense getting a bulk order of the wrong ones…  Hmmm…  Better find out WHEN they'll be needing the feminine hygiene products too!'

Mazurka checked the Dormitories on the lower levels next, 'The walking wounded will need their beds set up as soon as possible.  The others will need to sleep tonight as well…'

This time, the lift doors opened onto a real lobby.  Once again, lighting came from overhead halogen spotlights, their lighting reflected by a wall that ran the length of the lobby some twelve feet from the lifts.  Imitating the wall containing the lifts, the lobby wall had two wide archways at either ends.  Both of the larger archways opened onto darkness.

Mazurka turned the main lights on, dispelling the darkness beyond the arches…

Each arch opened onto a wide hallway, effectively dividing the floor into 2 dormitories.  The halls shared common toilet & shower facilities at the far end, with all of the fixtures designed for use by the 'disabled'.  When Mazurka checked, she found that the smaller archways at either ends of the lifts led to modern laundry facilities, instead of toilets like on the canteen level.

'Not bad!' Mazurka noted with approval, 'The toilets are below the Canteen area, so even if they do block up, they can't contaminate the food preparation area above with overflow…  The noisy laundry is behind the lifts, away from the beds, & the showers & toilets join both of the halls & allow for better ventilation…'

…There was no bedding, let alone any furniture other than the laundry machines, & once again, there were NO hygiene supplies…

'There better be more toilets & showers elsewhere in the building!  137 young Ladies will take up a LOT of time in the bathroom in the mornings…  Still, if the other Dorm is the same as this…  It should do…  Just!  We can get real beds in for the Girls, & arrange curtains for privacy…  Maybe even use furniture for that…  Wardrobes?  Yeah!  Get some of them, & make a physical 'wall' between the beds…  If they'll fit…'

'Let's see,' Mazurka as she jotted down some notes, 'Need beds, mattresses, the Girls can use the bedding they've got now…  Some of those 'all in one' wardrobe things, that combine hanging space with drawers…  Wait…  I'll need to get some measurements first…'

Mazurka turned to a Clone, "I need to measure this hall for placing of beds.  Hold this end of the tape measure for me, will you?"

"No need," the Clone promptly replied, "Floor measurements are in the book.  As are suggested floor plan layouts for furniture…"

'They MUST be 'speed readers'…' Mazurka sweat-dropped, "Uh…  Well…  In that case, we might as well check out the rest of the building, before deciding on any floor plans…"

The other Dorm was identical in all practical respects.

'Again, no toilet paper or soap, no feminine hy-' as Mazurka was making her notes, she suddenly realised, 'Uh oh!  Stores often take their own sweet time processing paperwork not considered 'urgent'…  I'd better deliver my order personally, so that it doesn't get 'filed' somewhere…'

The General Storage levels were next.  They were just bare concrete shells, with appropriate signs & floor markings.  As per the Canteen level layout, each of them had two 'standard' toilet cubicles behind the lift wells, along with a First Aid room & two shower cubicles.

The Training halls were empty, but had polished wood floors instead of bare concrete or checked Linoleum.  As per the General Storage levels, there were 'standard' toilet cubicles behind the lift wells, along with shower cubicles.

'Hmmm…' Mazurka noted the difference, 'The architect anticipated the presence of the wounded on the Dorm & Canteen levels, & catered for them accordingly.  But on the training & storage levels, only the healthy are expected…'

The top level of the building held radiator fins for the air conditioning, a range of communication antennas, & a retractable dome that covered a helipad.

Mazurka felt vaguely uneasy, 'That's strange…  I haven't noticed any windows anywhere on any of the levels…  Does the Commander expect them to live shut away from any source of natural light?  What about natural air?  Without the air-conditioning, this place would be stifling…'

Mazurka asked the Clone nearest her, "What do the books say about windows?"

"This is a Secure Facility.  Windows might reveal its contents, or allow the use of certain types of spy equipment."

Mazurka raised an eyebrow, 'Looks like he was serious about security…'

Mazurka persisted, "But what about ventilation?  What if there's a power blackout like we had that time?  What then?"

Another Clone answered, "Emergency Backup Generators will provide full functionality for 24 hours.  Ventilation can be switched to 'convection' mode, allowing fresh air to circulate naturally, without power."

Despite getting answers, Mazurka still felt uneasy, "By the way, where IS the air-conditioning Plant?"

A different Clone answered, "The main air conditioning plant is in the top floor.  The auxiliary plant is on the ground floor Loading Dock, along with the emergency backup generators."

"Auxiliary air-conditioning?"

"Yes.  The auxiliary air-conditioning system can supply satisfactory ventilation to the entire building for limited periods, or to any four floors indefinitely.  It is capable of selecting which floors receive ventilation, so the entire building may be continuously ventilated, by doing 4 floors at a time on an alternate basis."

Mazurka digested this, 'Makes sense, if the top floors are damaged in a battle, they've still got the emergency units in the loading dock.  In case of a normal emergency, they can still provide ongoing ventilation to four floors…  Say, canteen, both dorms, that's three, & switch the 'fourth' floor around, depending on requirements…  Hmmm, not bad!'

"Well Ladies," Mazurka's comment resulted in the Clones looked attentively at her, "We've checked this building out, what say we check out the other?  Um…  Does it say in the book if we can get to the other building from this one?"

"Yes," the Clones chorused, "There is access via the First Training level only."

"Only one access?  Why's that?"

"Security," the Clones responded.

"Oh…  Very well then…"

It was only a short trip to the first Training level again.  There, a set of blast & fireproof armoured security doors opened onto a narrow walkway some 6 feet wide.  At the end of the walkway was another set of armoured security doors.  The last set of doors opened onto a small room with a normal door.  The final door opened onto the fire escape stairwell of another building.

Mazurka inspected the access set-up with her tactical eye, 'Disguised access…  If anyone were snooping, they'd probably think this was just a storage closet.  Hmmm…  If needed, you could blow this part of the stairs, leaving a difficult job for anyone trying to get into the Secure building through this route…'

Mazurka found herself on the eighth floor of a modern twelve-floor apartment block completely unlike hers.  Instead of being open to the air, the walkways outside the apartments had high railings & opaque stained glass panelling that completely enclosed them.  A closer inspection revealed that the stained glass was not actually glass, but some sort of thick glassy plastic with a 'pebble' surface effect.  The plastic panels appeared to be double laminated, with some sort of film similar to the 'tinting' on motor vehicles between them.

Mazurka ran a critical eye over things, 'Hmmm…  Tough & probably bullet-proof…  The 'stained glass' effect lets light in, is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but prevents identification of who's behind the panel.  The 'tinting' probably gives a 'mirror' effect from the outside, further distorting any image while keeping the heat of the sun's rays out…'

Mazurka unlocked the first apartment they came to & went inside…

It was a roomy three-room apartment completely devoid of furniture.  Carpet ran throughout all of the rooms, except for ceramic tiles in the 'wet areas' of bathroom, toilet, & kitchen.  Heavy curtains shielded the few windows, which bore panels similar to the walkway panels.  There were no balconies to any of the three large double bedrooms in the apartment, or to any of the other four identical apartments on the floor.

Mazurka ran the calculations, 'Lets see… 3 rooms per Apartment, 5 Apartments per Floor is 15, by 12 floors is 180 bedrooms!  60 extra bathrooms with toilets & showers!  It should solve the problems of available bathrooms in the mornings…  Hmmm…  What about laundry facilities?'

The ground floor of the apartment block didn't have any apartments, something that spoiled Mazurka's maths regarding bedrooms & bathrooms.  What the ground floor did have, was a large communal laundry with adequate facilities for the building, & an open-plan 'Secure' parking area.  Heavy-duty security grilles secured the lowest level, also obscuring it from the outside world.

The layout of the apartments on the remaining floors only differed in that their fire escape stairs had regular janitor's closets, instead of a disguised access to the other building.

The top floor didn't have any apartments, nor did it have a Penthouse, & Mazurkas' calculations were sorely revised by the discovery.

'Okay, 10 floors by 15 bedrooms per floor is 150 bedrooms… and 50 showers…  Close enough to what we'll need…'

What the top floor did have, was a well appointed amenities area that included a wet bar (empty of course, much to Mazurka's disappointment), a full sized & fully enclosed heated swimming pool, large Sauna, a Spa/Jacuzzi, & surprisingly enough, a gymnasium area complete with exercise equipment…  As per the rest of the building, the entire top level was fully secured from any prying eyes by heavy curtains & 'stained-glass' panels.

Mazurka sighed, partly in relief at getting a better deal than she thought she would, & partly in anticipation of showing the Clones how to use the Penthouse amenities, "Well…  Looks like we've only got two things left to do…"

The Clones looked intently at Mazurka, awaiting further orders…

Mazurka grinned, "Settle in, & have a Housewarming Party!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Stock Options.

Built to combat Alien attacks, & thus ensure the future of the Human Race itself, it was only natural that NERVIS would have its fair share of problems.  In any one of the titanic battles NERVIS survived, even the Heroes needed help from legions of lesser beings.  While the parts played by the Little People in the Titanic struggles were often mundane, they were no less vital.

…One such part was the administration of NERVIS logistical resources…

The sheer size of NERVIS, meant that the mere act of keeping it supplied with office supplies, required the services of platoons of specially trained Clerical workers.  A breed apart, these unsung Warriors of the Warehouse dotted the i's & crossed the t's with unwavering dedication & bravado.  Not even the threat of imminent, gruesome death, could cause them to desert their posts, or deviate one inch from the procedures that had served NERVIS in the darkest of times…

…Which explained the problems Mazurka was having, trying to get her stock requisitions filled…

"LOOK!!" Mazurka thundered in exasperation, "I don't CARE about 'Forward Planning Estimates', or 'Stock Level Registers', or 'Anticipated Depreciations', or even 'Average Usage Patterns'!  I just want this requisition filled, TODAY!"

The fat, balding, & middle-aged Stock Clerk in front of Mazurka sighed deeply, then tried once again to patiently explain that, "Major…  We can deliver the bulk of the standard items within two days, but the other stuff… will HAVE to go through channels…"

"Meaning what, EXACTLY?" Mazurka's patience had already worn thin while waiting for someone to serve her, & consequently, her B--LS--T tolerance factor was dipping dangerously into the 'Red' zone.

"Well," uncaring because he was unknowing, the Clerk blathered blissfully on, "Following standard protocols - which will include a Committee to determine what relevant guidelines are involved - they'll give it to a taskforce to research what materials & quality standards are applicable…  They'll go & draft a set of acceptance guidelines, which then go to the Standards Bureau for verification before they can even advertise the contract by tender…"

"And how long will THAT take?"

"It depends," the clerk emphasized the exact professionalism of his estimate by shrugging his shoulders, "They might have the tender notices advertised within a month, or it might take longer…"

Mazurka swore, long, hard, & with a highly inventive flair.  When she calmed down, she tried another approach…

"Okay…  So I can't just waltz in here & get them from you today?"

"As I've just said, you can put an order in, but it'll need…"

Mazurka snapped, "Answer me this!  I have 'expenditure authority', DON'T I?"

"Yes…"

"That means **I** can use that 'authority', to requisition these items through you then, RIGHT?"

"Yes, as I just…"

Mazurka interrupted again, "Refresh my memory!  It ALSO means, that I don't have to requisition them through you, but that I can go out into the Civilian World & just BUY the D--N things in any shop I see them in?  RIGHT?"

"Err… well…  If it's a crisis situation, & you can't get them through normal channels within an acceptable timeframe, then…"

"BINGO!" Mazurka punched a fist in the air in Victory, "Then in that case, I WILL go & buy them!"

"B-But," the Clerk stammered, "There's no crisis at present…"

Mazurka glared at the clerk.  "Don't you worry about that!" she stated with grim certainty, "There WILL be if I don't get my requisition filled…"

"But…"

"Supply the standard items I've requested, as soon as possible," Mazurka laid her requisition on the clerk's desk, along with her verbal order, "I'll use my 'authority' & purchase the other items…  If anyone has any problems with that, they can talk to me, or better yet, Commander Atari…"

With that, Mazurka stalked off, muttering unprintable & extremely unladylike comments under her breath.  Once outside the NERVIS Q-Store, she stopped & took several deep breaths, trying to calm herself…

"Okay…  Let's reassess the situation!" Mazurka applied her Brilliant Tactical Mind to trying to reason her way out of the problem she was in, totally ignoring the fact she was talking to herself.

"Point ONE…  Hygiene supplies…  Standard items will arrive within days.  We can take supplies from the restrooms of the facility we're leaving, that'll tide us over…  H--L, we can even buy them ourselves if necessary, no problem!"

Mazurka paused in her tirade, "But…  What brands does Rave prefer?  Still got to ask her…"

"Point TWO…" Mazurka shelved point one until later, "Food…  The NERVIS catering corps will provide…  No problem!"

"Point THREE…  Furnishings…  Official Stores will take months…  BIG problem!  A Civilian supplier will only take days…  Best if I ask the Girls what sort of thing they want…  That will need planning…  Delivery will be a problem…  But nothing Security can't handle…  More planning needed there too…"

"Point FOUR…  Clothes…  Outfitting all of them with decent clothes will be expensive…  I'm not even sure of what size they take…  They may look identical, but do they all take the exact same size?"

"IN the mean time…  They're setting up their beds in the new Dorms…  I'm trying to get the things they'll need…  But as that Pencil-Pushing-Jerk pointed out…  Even trying to get simple furnishings for the Dorms is going to be a nightmare…"

"Aarrgghh!" Mazurka resorted to 'scream' therapy, repeatedly kicking the Q-Store Admin building in an effort to get in touch with her Inner Male, "There's only ONE thing I can possibly do in a situation like this!"

Mazurka put her hand under jacket and…

…pulled out her cell-phone & punched in a number…

"Pick it up, Pick it up, Pick it up," Mazurka chanted the mantra as she heard the phone ring…

…Then the phone was picked up…

"Yes?" replied the soft voice of Rave Imanonymous the Third.

"Rave?"

"Yes."

"Mazurka here, I need your help!"

"What with?"

"Shopping!  I'll pick you up shortly…"

Mazurka hung up, a grim smile on her face, 'I may not be able to get everything for them at once…  But I can start small…'

Minutes later, Mazurka pulled up in front of Rave's apartment building.  Rave was ready & waiting in the parking lot.

"Get in!" called Mazurka, opening the passenger side door.

Rave complied, & the Mazurka-Mobile screeched off.

"What are we shopping for?" Rave asked innocently.

"Supplies for the Girls."

"Was Official Stores unable to supply them?"

Mazurka snorted, "By the time they'd have gotten them in, I'd be retired…"

Rave gave Mazurka a blank look.

Mazurka noticed & clarified, "Some of the things I wanted to get would have to be put out to tender…  That would take too long…  No…  I'm just going to have to get some of the things myself…"

"Why do you need me?"

Mazurka steeled herself, "As I'm buying for the Girls, it's best I get something they like…  I can't take them shopping with me, so I thought I'd ask your opinion…  To start with, hygiene supplies…  Are there any brands you prefer?"

"No.  I use supplies from the Base."

"Really?  Including 'Feminine Protection'?" Mazurka oh-so tactfully inquired.

"I do not understand the term?" Rave replied, giving Mazurka another blank look.

"You know…  'That time of the month'?"

Rave continued to look blankly at Mazurka.

'Oh boy…' Mazurka admitted defeat, & resorted to more 'Clinical terms', "What I meant to say was, what about when you… menstruate?"

"I do not menstruate."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Rave," Mazurka asked slowly, "You know what I mean by 'menstruate', don't you?"

"Of course.  When Dr Akatlover told us about the fertility cycle of Human females, she told us that the lining of the womb renews every few weeks in preparation for impregnation.  The menstrual flow is a release of bodily fluids & discarded tissue from the womb that accompanies the renewal."

"Did the… 'Second'… ever start…?"

"No."

Mazurka was slightly confused, 'By her age, most girls have started…  Is Rave a 'late bloomer'?  No, couldn't be!  Not with her 'physical development'…  Maybe it's her training?  Top Female Athletes will often stop menstruating if their exercise regimes get hard enough…  But… surely that wouldn't apply to those in the tank?  Would it?'

Mazurka decided to confirm things, "What about those in the tank?"

"None of us have ever started."

"Okaayyy…" Mazurka drawled, her speech covering the fact she was thinking furiously, 'Something's wrong here!  The Girls appear 'developed enough' to have started, but none have?  Why not?  Some kind of 'women's problem'?  A medical condition?  Some kind of diet deficiency?'

'No…  Can't be diet, they take supplements…' almost as soon as she'd discarded the thought, a suspicious frown crossed Mazurka's face, 'What's IN those supplements anyway?  Women who have problems with their menstrual cycles, often use hormone therapy, or even just the 'contraceptive pill' to prevent menstruation…  I wonder if 'someone' decided Rave would be better off without a menstrual cycle?  If the girls are that physically developed…'

Mazurka chewed her suspicions over.  Eventually, she sighed, "Well…  We'd better get some.  If you haven't started yet, you'll probably start soon, as will the others…  Ritzy told you all about the clinical aspects of menstruation, but did she tell you what to do if you started?  What supplies you should use?"

"Yes," Rave#3 confirmed in a calm monotone, "She showed us the dispensers in the female toilets, & told us how to use the supplies to handle the menstrual flow."

"Huh," the tone of Mazurka's comment matched the contemptuous look on her face, "Personally speaking, the items you usually find in female restrooms are more functional, than they are comfortable!  Best if we find out if there's anything more… suitable… for young Ladies such as yourself & the Girls…"

"Is there much difference?" asked Rave.

"Is there ever!" Mazurka exclaimed, "Let me give you some advice, based on the personal experiences of me & my friends…  To start with…"

…There followed a lengthy, 'woman-to-woman' discussion about such things…

"…so that's why!" Mazurka concluded her storytelling…

"I see," Rave felt greatly informed by Mazurka's anecdotes…

They had arrived at the local shopping mall some time ago, but had stayed in the car while Mazurka delivered her sage advice.  Now Mazurka got out of the car, & like a mother duck with duckling in tow, she & Rave entered the shopping mall…

Rave followed Mazurka automatically, not knowing where to go, or what to do in this strange new realm of bright lights & piped muzak…  Eventually Mazurka stopped, & motioned Rave to enter a particular shop, the first of many Mazurka intended to visit.

Rave blinked in surprise at the colourful display in the shop windows.

"Come on," Mazurka coaxed with a smile, "Trust me!  It'll be fun…"

Reassured, Rave followed Mazurka into the 'Young Miss Fashion Shoppe'…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Time Off.

At Mazurka's apartment, Shakey Atari was taking things easy.  There was no school today, & Mazurka was at work, so he had the entire apartment to himself.

'I'll be able to kick back & relax!' Shakey enthused, lazily rising from his bed, 'I can listen to the radio…  I can play my cello…  I can watch television…'

His happy state was abruptly shattered as he tripped & fell over some of the usual garbage that accumulated like magic in the apartment…

"…I can clean the place up…" he groaned, resigning himself to the inevitable.

Shakey tidied the apartment up.  He bagged all of the trash, & took it to the trash collection point outside.  Coming back, he decided to make a thorough job of cleaning the apartment.  For the next couple of hours, he did the laundry, vacuumed the carpets, & did the dishes.  He even prepared an oversized lunch…

'Mazurka will need something when she gets back,' he reasoned, before tucking into his share of it.

The chores done, Shakey finally had time to kick back & relax.

'Let's see…  What should I do first?'

After a few moments, Shakey smiled, then went to his room.  He emerged seconds later carrying his cello.  He set it up in the Living Room, & began to play…

Shakey was stiff & rusty, but he soon loosened up as the music filled him.  It took him away from his current life, to a place where his emotions could dip & soar, free to be in harmonious counterpoint to the notes he played.  He played several pieces, revelling in the joy he felt as he coaxed the music from the inanimate objects he held…

When he finally came back, he gave a satisfied sigh, 'I needed that…'

Shakey cleaned the bathroom, & then took a long relaxing bath in a clean tub.  As he lay there, he thought about his life & the recent events in it.

'Mazurka wants me to help the Clones…'

'To watch out for them…'

'I can do that…'

A pang of guilt washed over him, as he remembered how he'd handled the 'rumours' that recently circulated…

'I didn't do too good a job with the rumours…'

'Still, Mazurka said it sometimes takes more than one person to stop a rumour…'

'She wants me to tell her if anything like this happens again…'

'She won't have to worry about that…' it was a solemn promise, prompted in no small way by the memory of when he'd heard about Rave being attacked…

'I'll be glad to get help from Mazurka…  From anyone…  Just so long as it stops things from going as far as they did…'

…Other memories arose, eating away at his feeling of relaxation…

…A vision of a distraught Rave, throwing herself in front of a train…

Shakey shut his eyes & grimaced, 'Painful memories always seem to find me in the bath…  And even if that wasn't a memory, it could have been…'

The bath no longer so relaxing, Shakey got out of the tub, dripping water on the freshly clean tiles.  He was drying himself off when another thought stopped him dead, 'How IS Rave handling all this?  She seemed all right last night…  But…'

Shakey wrapped a towel around himself, & walked through the apartment.  He stopped before the telephone.

'Should I call her?'

'Mazurka said I should watch out for her…  But…  Does that include calling her?'

'Would Rave be upset if I rang?  What if she resents my calling?'

'What do I say to her if I DO call?  Hi!  How ya doing?  Just calling to see how depressed you are…'

Shakey shook his head, 'No…  That'd never do…  IF I call, I've got to say something to make her feel better…'

Shakey was not too good with words, & the task of trying to think up a witty comment that might cheer a girl up, was enough to tie him up in knots - let alone saying something to cheer up a girl who'd been the subject of unsavoury rumours, & who had been attacked because of them…

'Perhaps I could ask her if she'd like to go out & do something…'

The thought died in his head almost as it was born, 'NO!  That'd only start more rumours…  Everyone'd think we were on a date… or something…'

Shakey spent some time agonising over things.

'It's not like she'd be in danger if I didn't call…  Security would look after her, & intervene if she got too… depressed…  Like they did me…'

'Still… perhaps I should call her… even if only to say Hi…'

Shakey reached out to the phone, then chickened out & withdrew his hand without even touching it.  For the next several minutes, he endured an internal tug of war.  Part of him wanting to ring Rave & talk to her…  Another part wanting to keep away, & keep both of their privacies intact.

'Aesir was right,' Shakey finally admitted, 'I AM a wimp…  I can't even do something as simple as call someone…'

Shoulders slumped in defeat, Shakey walked away from the phone.  For the next hour, he watched television in a half-hearted manner.  Although he didn't admit it to himself, he was feeling lonely.

The ringing of the phone broke him out of his lethargy…

Shakey scrambled to answer the phone, wondering 'Who could that be?  Maybe Kantsee is back in town?'

"Hello?"

"Shakey!" Mazurka's voice came from the phone, "You doing anything right now?"

"Uh…  Not really…"

"Great!  I have a little favour to ask you…  Can you come & give me a hand?"

"Sure!  Where are you, & how do I get there?"

"That's not a problem, Security will pick you up shortly."

"Err…  Mazurka?" Shakey quavered, flinching at the thought of being collected by Security, "Am I… in trouble?"

"No," Mazurka hurried to reassure him, "It's just that you'll need them to get where we are.  Trust me on this.  Everything will be fine."

With that, Mazurka hung up.

Not quite having relieved Shakey of a vague feeling of impending doom…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Moving In.

Shakey Atari sat nervously in the back of a windowless van.  Beside him sat two Security Agents.  Shakey didn't know how many others were in the front of the van, & he was too spooked to ask.

'This is just like when my father wanted to see me…' Shakey began sweating…

The trip was a short one, but there were several twists & turns in it that confused Shakey's sense of direction.  Eventually the van stopped, although the engine kept idling.  From outside came a muffled noise, like the familiar rattle of a roll type Garage door being opened.

The noise stopped, & the van rolled forward before stopping once again.  The roller door noise came again.  It stopped, then after a pause of a few seconds, it started again.  The van rolled forward & stopped.  Once again, there was the roller door noise.

Seconds after the sound stopped, a Security agent said, 'You can get out now.  And a word of warning, this is a secret facility.  It would be in your best interests NOT to remember anything about it.  Let alone talk about it…"

"Don't worry about that," Shakey hastened to reassure, "I don't want my father to have another 'talk' with me…"

That seemed to humour the Security Agents, as they both cracked a smirk.

Outside the van, Shakey found himself in an industrial sized loading dock.  Three trucks were pulled up to the dock, & Rave Clones were unloading things from the back of the trucks, carrying things like a line of blue-haired ants.

"Glad you could make it," Mazurka beamed at Shakey, before turning to the Security Agents & telling them, "I'll take care of him from here on…"

"Yes Ma'am," the Agents replied, before driving off in their van.

Shakey watched the Agents go, & was surprised to see that when the door rolled up, there was another one outside it.  The inner roller door came down, shutting off the sight of the van.  A few seconds later the sound of the outer roller door opening could be heard.

Shakey's attention was diverted by what Mazurka said next, "Welcome Shakey, to the Clones' new home!"

"New Home?"

"Yes!  This is the new compound that will house the Clones, & where they'll receive training & education."

"Why not send them to a local school?"

Mazurka suddenly got serious, "Your father decided that it might be safer for them to have a 'secure facility' like this instead.  He was worried that they might attract 'unwelcome attentions' out in the real world."

Shakey couldn't fault THAT logic, not after recent events.  He turned his mind to more pleasant things, asking Mazurka, "So what do you want me to help with?"

"The House warming party of course!" Mazurka's reply included a warm smile, "I need someone else to help me show the Girls how it should be done…  Whattaya say, Shakey?  Shall we show these Girls how to Party tonight or what?"

"All right," Shakey sighed while thinking, 'Same old Mazurka…'

Shakey looked around him, the number of Clones was unnerving, especially as they all looked alike despite their hairstyles & numbers, "Uh… Mazurka?"

"Yes?"

"What about Rave?  I mean… the 'third'…  Will she be coming?"

Mazurka's sudden grin made Shakey flinch.

"She's already here…" Mazurka pointed behind Shakey.

Shakey turned.  Rave, the 'third', stood quietly behind him, her hands clasped in front of her, & her gaze directed on the ground.  She was dressed in a loose fitting checker patterned halter-top dress, & a white long sleeved blouse.

…Cute was only one word for it…

Shakey stared at the swan his blue-haired friend had once again turned into…

"Well, geeee…" Mazurka drawled, "She looked so good that night in my old clothes, that I decided to get a proper outfit for her…  So what do you think?  Does she look nice?"

Shakey mumbled an affirmative.

Rave#3 blushed slightly, & she looked pleased at Shakey's reaction.

…So did the other Clones…

Mazurka grinned even wider, not having missed either of the reactions, "Can you give the Girls a hand in the kitchen?  We're kinda short handed, what with all we have to do?"

"Sure.  Where is it?"

"Rave?  Be a dear & show him where the kitchen is, will you?"

Rave#3 turned to Shakey & said, "Please follow me," before walking off.

Mazurka watched them go, a smile on her face, 'Rave needs to learn about Friendship with someone she can trust…  It's a Good thing she knows a nice boy like Shakey…'

"Mazurka?" a nearby Clone tried to attract Mazurka's attention.

"Yes?"

"Will we all get clothes like that?" the Clone pointed in the direction Rave#3 & Shakey had taken.

"Don't worry," Mazurka put an arm around the Clone's shoulders, "I'll make sure you all get something 'special' to wear…  But, unfortunately, we do have a budget to work to, so it may take a while…  In the meantime, I'll schedule some classes to help you learn about the Art of Wardrobe…"

"Wardrobe is an Art?"

"Oh Yes!  That's something every Lady learns, sooner or later…  The use of clothing to enhance your lifestyle is definitely an Art…  The secret is to have outfits that can co-ordinate with others…"

"Yes," the Clone quietly agreed, "Variety is the spice of life…"

Mazurka paused, 'That's what I told Rave when she slept over…  Has she already had a talk with the other Clones about it?'

"You could say that," Mazurka agreed.

"I just did."

Mazurka blinked, 'Did she just make a joke?'

"Um…  Yes," Mazurka rallied magnificently, "Anyway, that's something I'll talk to all of you about later…  For now though, we've got to get all of our stuff sorted out, & either set up, or stowed away…"

The Clone nodded, & went back to the line of workers moving their belongings into their new home.

Mazurka stood alone, pondering what the Clone had said.  'I'll have to start scheduling classes for them soon…  There's so much for them to learn about…  Where do I start?'

Mazurka frowned slightly as her mind churned, trying to figure out an acceptable curriculum for the innocent Clones.  'That can wait,' she finally decided, 'Of more pressing need is the schedule for the AVE Pilot compatibility tests…'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Kitchen Hand.

The Canteen area of the Clones Compound was a hive of activity.  Mazurka had decided to have a 'Housewarming Party', & she had decided to hold it in the food court area of the Canteen.  Accordingly, the Clones had received 'party' supplies, & instructions in how to create a 'Party' atmosphere in the room…

…The sight was enough to make Shakey question reality…

Shakey stood silently in the lift & stared.  Throughout the Canteen area, Clones were blowing up coloured balloons, & trying to hang multi-coloured streamers & Christmas tree tinsel.

'This is weird', thought Shakey, as he tried to deal with the surreal sight of so many 'Raves' getting into 'Party Mode'.

…Or at least, what passed for 'Party Mode' in the Clones…

The Clones went about their task with a neutral precision.  They didn't smile, make jokes, or fool around with the balloons as normal people would.  Instead, they quietly & efficiently performed their allotted tasks.

…All of which changed when Shakey exited the lift…

The Clones paused in their tasks, & looked at Shakey.  Then they smiled faintly at him, some nodding slightly in recognition & acceptance of his presence.

"The food preparation area is over here," Rave#3 commented.

"Uh…  Right…  What do you need a hand with?"

"Everything," the Clones at the stainless steel food preparation table chorused.

A Clone with #47 on her clothes added, "How should we set things up?"

Shakey put on a business attitude, "Will you be sitting down to eat?"

"We do not know," #58 replied, "Mazurka did not say."

"Well, what sort of food are you preparing?  You can usually tell from that…"

#35 gestured towards the kitchen, inviting Shakey to see for himself.

The food was Vegetarian.  There were raw sliced pieces of fruit & vegetables, & various cooked dishes, including Vegetarian Sushi rolls & Vegetarian pastries.  Then there were the usual party foods, like cheese & tomato slices on crackers.

"Looks like typical 'stand-up-snack food' to me," Shakey gave his epicurean opinion, "I take it that all of you will be attending the party?"

"Except for those still in Hospital, yes," #29 replied.

Shakey chewed his lip, as he thought things through.  "Okay," he finally said, "What you need to do, is to put two of the tables together, in the middle of the room, & put the food on it, 'buffet style'…  You keep a wide space around them, to allow people to circulate…"

"But will they hold all of the food?" several Clones chorused.

"You don't put all of the food out at once," Shakey clarified, "You keep restocking it throughout the night, so that there's always fresh food there…"

The Clones nodded, & several started moving furniture.

Within seconds, the tables were arranged.  Shakey was surprised to see the Clones drape a genuine tablecloth over the tables.

Noticing his surprised look, #65 clarified, "Mazurka got them for us.  She thought we should learn how other people live."

Shakey merely nodded, the entire situation starting to 'over weird' him…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Delivery.

Meanwhile, back in the basement, there was an unexpected arrival.  The Sound of the Security Shutters opening rattled throughout the Loading Dock area.  Alerting everyone that something was happening.

In the Loading Dock Office, Mazurka pushed aside the nearly completed Domestic Duty roster for the complex, & wandered outside.

The shutter rattled up, revealing two new visitors.  A small windowless van, similar to the one that had brought Shakey, & another truck.

The van pulled up to one side of the Loading Dock, giving the truck room to manoeuvre itself up to the Loading Dock.  The truck cut its motors, & a male Security Agent with a clipboard exited the Cab, & walked over to Mazurka.

"Major Kutsarug," the Security Agent began, "I have the first shipment of the standard supplies you requested this afternoon."

Mazurka was impressed, "That was quick.  When the Clerk said 'within two days', I didn't think anything would arrive before tomorrow afternoon at the earliest!"

"Yes Ma'am.  That's what normally occurs…"

Mazurka's interest was piqued, "So, how come we got things sooner?"

A smug expression came over the Security Agent's face, "Actually Ma'am, it seems that someone questioned your order!  Something about the paperwork not being supported by 'adequately estimated forward planning'…"

"They did?" Mazurka looked worried, "Will I have to re-do it?"

"Oh no, Ma'am," the Agent said with a smirk, "Seems that the paper pusher in question, got a 'little' call from the Commander himself about it…"

Mazurka WAS worried, "Oh?  Anything I should know about?"

The agent choked slightly, trying unsuccessfully to remove a sudden grin from his face, "Oh no Ma'am…  But next time you visit the Q-Store…  You shouldn't have any problems at all…  **ANY** Problems…"

"That's nice to know," Mazurka beamed happily, "So what do you have for us?"

Suddenly the Agent was all business, although traces of humour were still in his face.  "Just the standard hygiene supplies you requested, this time," he ran through the list on his clipboard, "Toilet paper, paper towels, facial tissues, bath soap, liquid soap for the basin dispensers, laundry detergent, dish washing liquid, mops, & sundry general cleaning supplies…  If you'd sign here?"

Mazurka scanned the list, & then signed the form.  The Security agent tore off the top sheet & gave it to her.

"Thank you Ma'am," the Agent turned & walked off.

"Just a minute!" Mazurka asked, "Aren't you going to unload them?"

"Sorry Ma'am," the Agent replied, "But I have strict orders to only deliver things, & then leave immediately."

"But the supplies…"

"Sorry Ma'am.  But don't worry, the goods are on standard pallets, & can be 'broken up' by hand for distribution.  There's no rush to unload it.  As soon as any of the Dock bays are free, we'll make more deliveries, regardless of whether this truck is still being unpacked.  We'll just use another truck."

With that, the Agent walked over to the Van, & got inside.  It's engine revved & it rolled up to the Gate, which rattled up for it.

Mazurka was left on the Loading Dock, a slightly sour look on her face.

A dull booming noise drew her attention back to the Loading Dock.  The Clones had opened the swing doors on the cargo box of the truck, & were looking inside.

Mazurka sighed, & then her 'Command Persona' took over.  "All Right Ladies," she loudly proclaimed.

All of the Clones on the Loading Dock turned to look at her.

"We need to get the trucks unloaded as soon as possible, so that the dock can be used in case of emergency, & to receive more supplies.  The trucks with our gear are nearly empty.  They're not a problem, we'll empty them shortly!"

"This other truck though…  It contains the first lot of our supplies.  It's only hygiene & cleaning materials, but those are things we need to get distributed, as what hygiene supplies we have, will run out within a day or two."

"Now, we don't have a forklift, so we'll have to unload these supplies by hand.  This will be time consuming.  To save 'double handling', we'll put the bulk of the hygiene supplies right where they're most needed, the facilities in the Canteen, & Dorm levels.  This will be done by those currently on hygiene duty.  For now, I want you others to finish unloading these trucks.  I'm off to check our storage areas, to determine what 'warehousing system' we'll need, since our supplies are already arriving."

With that, Mazurka strode off to an elevator.

'Pity we don't have a forklift, it'd be lot faster than doing it by hand…'

As the lift doors closed behind Mazurka, she had one last thought.

'Wait a minute!  How DO you drive a forklift anyway?'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Teamwork.

After Mazurka left, several Clones went inside the cargo box of the truck with the hygiene supplies.  They split up into pairs, & squatted down on opposite ends of the pallets, inserting their hands & forearms into the slots for the forklift blades.  Then they tensed their muscles & straightened their legs, effortlessly lifting the heavy pallets & their loads.

Another Clone opened one of the Cargo lifts.  She watched as the others walked the pallets over, & put them on the lift floor.  Tough plastic film was wrapped around the supplies on each pallet.  The Clones hooked their fingers into it, & tore it apart in one smooth motion.

The Clone who had opened the lift doors for the others, turned her head & stared upwards in the general direction of the Canteen.  She paused, then nodded slightly, apparently satisfied at something.  She then pressed the button for the Canteen level, before exiting the lift.

High above in the Canteen, Shakey was giving tips on how best to lay out the dishes on the impromptu buffet table…

"…offset the dishes, in two rows, this gives people easy access.  Put napkins between the dishes in the back row, where they won't get food dropped on them…"

The Clones around him nodded, seeing the practical functionality of his advice.

Shakey stood back & let the Clones set things up.  So far, he'd been more of an advisor than anything else.  "So," he asked, "What's next?"

The Clones looked around the room.

Thanks to Shakey's help, they'd gotten the room organised, & the preparations were well under way.  All that was left to do, was the preparation of the food.

"We will be able to handle things from here," #68 said.

"If there's anything else I can help with," offered Shakey, "Just ask me…"

"Can you help me?" a Clone asked from beside Shakey.

Shakey turned.  This Clone wore an apron with a pair of rubber gloves barely visible in the front pocket, & a badge declaring #13.  She had her head wrapped in a bandana, washerwoman style.

"Sure!  What's the problem, 13?"

"I need to stock the toilets with hygiene supplies.  I know how to fill the dispensers, but there are many of them, & I am the only one on Hygiene Duty…"

"No worries!" Shakey confirmed, "I'll take care of the Male toilets for you…"

#13 blinked.

"Actually…" #13 said in a rather quiet voice, "The toilets are communal…"

Shakey sweat-dropped.

'Oh no…' thought Shakey, 'Does that mean…  The hygiene supplies are 'both types' as well?'  He blushed.

"If this is a problem for you, I will understand," #13 softly stated, while looking at Shakey's embarrassed face.

"Uh… No, not really…" Shakey mumbled, trying to act & sound like a 'Man of the World', albeit a 15-year-old one, "I mean, if YOU'RE okay with me helping you…"

"Then we will start with the facilities on this level.  Mazurka wants it stocked first, then the ones in the Dorm areas.  Please follow me."

Shakey followed as #13 walked towards the elevators.  She stopped outside the third cargo lift.  She didn't press the button, she just stood there.  Shakey waited for her to do something.  And waited as #13 did nothing.  He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, #13 spoke.

"The supplies will arrive shortly from the Loading Dock."

"Oh…"

Seconds later, the lift doors opened, revealing pallet loads of supplies.

#13 entered the lift, & pressed the 'hold' button.  She then took a large garbage bag from her pocket & began to rapidly fill it with supplies.

Shakey saw that the supplies were only toilet rolls, paper towels, & liquid soap, 'That's a relief!  These things I can handle, no problem!'

"Here," Shakey offered, taking the full garbage bag from the Clone's hands, "I'll carry them, no sense you straining yourself…"

The Clone didn't comment.  Shakey Manfully swung the awkwardly balanced bag of bog rolls & other supplies over his shoulder, then staggered away from the lift.

"Uh, where are the toilets anyway?"

#13 pointed in the general direction, & Shakey wobbled his way over.

The toilet facilities were indeed 'communal'.  Not surprising, considering that the entire building had been designed to accommodate only the one gender.  There was no door barring entrance to the hygiene facilities, just a 90-degree bend providing any sort of privacy.

In the long room itself, washbasins grouped at either end, just inside the door, along with mirrors, hot air hand driers, paper hand towel cases, & bench mounted liquid soap dispensers.  The distance between the hand washing areas was taken up by a single row of toilet cubicles that lined the wall furthest from the kitchen.  The toilet stalls contained pedestal type toilets, with concealed cisterns, & a lever action flush mechanism.  Standard toilet roll holders were on the right hand side of the stall, while another type of dispenser Shakey had never seen, was on the left hand side.

'Heh…  No need to guess what THEY'RE for,' Shakey thought smugly, feeling like a 'Seasoned Man of the World' as realised how well he was handling the situation.

…All of which was spoiled when #13 said, "This is how you open the toilet roll holders…"

The reminder that he wasn't alone in the 'communal toilet' was bad enough.  The fact that he was there with a girl, only made it worse.  Shakey watched in embarrassed silence as #13 showed him how to open the toilet roll holders, & properly align the toilet rolls.

It was not as simple as he had thought it would be.  Opening the dispenser was easy enough, as was putting the toilet rolls in them.  What wasn't simple, was that the procedure required kneeling, or bending, to make sure the rolls were properly aligned within the holders.  Otherwise, they could 'jam' when used…

After demonstrating the procedure, #13 asked Shakey, "If you take care of the toilet rolls, I will take care of the paper towels & liquid soap."

Shakey nodded, & was soon engrossed in his task.  He went slowly at first, gradually getting quicker as he gained skill in the task.  He didn't notice the speed with which #13 worked, or the fact that she left the room.  She returned with two garbage bags worth of supplies, which she quickly stowed in the cupboards underneath the benches.

Soon the stalls were completely stocked…

The duo made their way to the lifts intending to go & supply the Dorms.  Shakey had a surprise when he entered the lift.  The supplies on the pallet, had been broken down, & placed into several large garbage bags.

'The others must have chipped in,' Shakey reasoned, unaware that #13 had done all of the work herself, while he had been restocking the toilets.

More surprises awaited Shakey in the Dorms…

The Dorms were partially occupied, mostly by those still recovering from their injuries.  They mostly lay, or sat on their bedding, expressionless.

That changed as soon as Shakey entered…

Throughout the Dorm, heads turned towards him, & faces smiled faintly at him.  The attention made Shakey self-conscious, & he felt a need to respond.

"Don't mind me," Shakey sheepishly announced, "I'm just passing through…"

The placid gazes of the injured followed Shakey, as he followed #13 through the dorm, & into the communal facilities at the end.  Which is where Shakey suddenly found himself in a room containing not only the expected toilet stalls, but also shower stalls.

…Some of which were in use…

Shakey heard splashing sounds from behind the shower stall doors, & stopped dead.  He backed quickly out of the room, eyes downcast & blushing furiously.

"Is there a problem?" #13 asked with quiet concern.

"Th-there's showers in there!"

"Yes?"

"With people in them!"

#13 blinked, then lowering her gaze as a faint blush spread over her face.  "I am sorry," she said quietly, "I should have remembered this might upset you.  Do not worry, they will stay in the shower stalls until you are gone."

Eyes firmly on the floor, Shakey worked quickly.  As soon as his task was over, he beat a hasty retreat to the lift…

The Second Dorm was easier, as none of the showers were being used.  Shakey still went about the task of stocking the toilet stalls as quickly as he could.

'I better get this over & done as quick as I can,' Shakey reasoned, 'Someone might wander in to take a shower…'

It wasn't until the toilets had been uneventfully stocked, & he was outside the communal facility, that Shakey was able to relax.

'Whew,' Shakey slumped against the wall in relief, 'I was lucky that didn't turn into a repeat of when I delivered Rave's ID Card…'

Shakey's relief was only brief, as he remembered something #13 had said, 'I should have remembered this might upset you…'

Shakey blinked, 'What did she mean by that?'

A look of horror stole over Shakey's face as he recalled something Rave#3 had said.  'We were given the memories from those who bore the name of Rave…'

"Oh Noooo," Shakey put his hands to his head & groaned.

#13 looked at him with concern.  "Are you feeling all right?"

"…yeah…" Shakey lied in a faint voice, "…i'm fine…"

"Are you sure?" pressed #13, "The last time you were that near us after we had just taken a shower, you seemed rather upset."

Shakey's eyes widened in shock as his worst fears were confirmed.  He turned to #13 beside him, & choked out, "Y-You know?"

"Yes," #13 replied nonchalantly, "We were given all of her memories."

Shakey did the only thing a 15-year-old 'Seasoned Man of the World' in his situation could possibly do.

He fainted…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Explanations.

In the second Storage level, Mazurka was not feeling happy as she looked around the echoing reaches of the storage level.

"That tears it…" Mazurka was definitely feeling disgruntled, "No forklift on the loading dock level, & no forklift on either of the stores level…  Well, no sense crying over what we haven't got…  It'll be time consuming, but we'll unload the trucks by hand…  Better go & tell the Girls the bad news…"

A thought struck Mazurka, as she walked back to the lift.

'Should I order a forklift?  I've got enough authorisation for it…' Mazurka pressed the 'request' button on the lift panel.  She pondered that while waiting for the lift.

'No!  I've got more important things to get for the girls!  The cost of the forklift alone, could buy a wardrobe full of decent clothes…'

"But not enough for all of them…" Mazurka winced as she remembered just how expensive Rave#3's meagre new outfit of dress, blouse, socks & shoes had been.

It was an unpleasant reminder of budgetary constraints.  Since she had to stretch them, Mazurka was re-evaluating her priorities.

'The money'll go furthest, if I can clothe them cheaply…  That means, either going to a Second-Hand Clothes shop, or getting them the raw materials they need to make their own…'

A sly smile came over Mazurka's face.

'Well, Commander Atari DID say he wanted the Girls to be 'Socially Integrated'…  So he shouldn't complain, if 'Dressmaking' appears on the curriculum…'

The lift arrived, & Mazurka entered, & pressed the button for the Loading Dock.  On the brief trip down, she made plans.

"Let's see…  Sewing machine?  Quicker than hand sewing…  But the machines are expensive… and you need an overlocker for stretch fabrics…  Bulk cloth fabric?  Embroidery?  Yeah why not!  They can brighten their outfits up…  What about a screen-printing kit?  They could make up their own fabric designs that way…"

Mazurka's plans were interrupted by the lift doors opening at the end of her journey.  One of the first things she saw when she got out, was the empty cargo box of the truck that had just brought the hygiene supplies.

'They unloaded it already?' Mazurka blinked in surprise.

'Well, good for them!' a smile stole over Mazurka's face, 'It'll give them a confidence boost to handle things by themselves so successfully…  Especially since we can free up the Loading Dock for more supplies…'

"Mazurka," a nearby Clone said, "All of the Hygiene supplies have been distributed, as per your orders.  The facilities have been fully stocked, & surplus stocks have been placed in the Janitor's storage cupboards."

"That was quick," Mazurka was impressed, "Did you all pitch in to unload the truck?"

"Several Clones unloaded the truck," the Clone confirmed, leaving out the insignificant details of exactly HOW they'd done it, "Shakey helped us as well."

Mazurka felt touched, 'He really is a good boy…'

The Clone tilted her head & frowned slightly, "Shakey…  He is not feeling well…"

"What do you mean?"

"He has collapsed."

"Collapsed?"  Mazurka was alarmed.

"Yes.  He had just finished helping us to stock the Dorm levels."

"Where is he now?"

"He is being taken care of, on Dorm level 2"

Mazurka wasted no time, she ran to the open lift & jabbed the button.  A few tense seconds later, the closing lift doors concealed her worried face.

Seconds later, the other cargo lift arrived, & the Clones on the Loading Dock took the empty pallets, & put them back in the truck they had arrived in…

Mazurka hurriedly exited the lift at Dorm Level 2.  A Clone wearing a bandana & apron waved at her, & pointed to one of the Dorm Halls.

Just outside the hygiene facilities, Shakey lay unconscious on the floor…

The Clones had taken care of him after he fainted, placing him on one of their own makeshift beds, & covering him with blankets.  Several of the injured Clones sat near him, watching him intently.

Mazurka stopped a few feet from the unconscious boy, & looked at him.

"What happened to him?" Mazurka asked in a voice just above a whisper.

"I am unsure," replied the Clone in the bandanna, "He had finished helping me stock the facilities on this level, when he suddenly said 'Oh no', & grabbed his head.  When asked if he was all right, he replied 'Yeah, I'm fine.'  I asked for confirmation, & he replied, 'You know,' before collapsing."

Mazurka was puzzled, "Was he doing anything strenuous just before he collapsed?"

"No," replied #13, "Although he was stocking the toilets faster than what he had been doing in the Canteen…"

"Tell me," Mazurka asked slowly, "When stocking the toilets, was there any kneeling or bending over involved?"

"Yes," confirmed #13, "Kneeling, or bending is involved."

"That's probably it," Mazurka decided with relief, "He rushed himself, got up too fast, became light-headed, then fainted…  Err…  Did he hit his head when he fell?"

"No," replied #13, "I caught him before he hit the floor."

Shakey moaned, & started to move.  The Clones nearest him, reached out & helped him to sit up.  He sat blinking, not quite aware of his surroundings.

"Oh Shakey," Mazurka tried, but failed to keep the grin off her face, "You've GOT to stop wearing yourself out trying to help these girls…  It'll start rumours…"

Shakey blushed…  So did the Clones…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - House Warming…

The Clones first House Warming party was in full swing.

…Or at least, as close to full swing as the Clones were capable of getting…

Despite Mazurka's best efforts in supplying recorded music, the Clones tended to just stand around quietly.  They occasionally went to the food tables & took something to eat, but other than that, they just stood there.

Shakey wasn't much better.  Although, he was providing most of the conversation in the party, by talking continuously with the Clones.

…Or rather, by talking to a continuous stream of Clones…

A Clone would ask Shakey something, & he'd respond.  When he was finished, that Clone would stand aside, & let another talk to him.  It was a cycle that had been occurring ever since Mazurka had declared that the 'Operation Tadaima' party was officially 'Go'.  (NOTE 'Tadaima' is an expression Japanese people use when they return home, literally 'I'm Home'…)

…Not that Shakey was being worn out by the shy attentions of the Clones…

The Clones had thoughtfully arranged for Shakey to have a seat, in a position where he could easily be seen by every one in the room.  They also put a small table beside him, to hold his own pitcher of juice, a cup, & a plate.

Mazurka had smiled when she'd seen the arrangement, & had gladly thrown Shakey to the tender mercies of the Clones.  Mainly because it gave Mazurka a chance to finish planning the testing schedule the Clones would start the next day.

So it was, that Mazurka had left the party, & had gone down to the Loading Dock office to work.  She made good time, & had things sorted out well before suppertime.

"Finished!" Mazurka growled with satisfaction, pushing her hair out of her eyes.  She leaned backward in her chair, hearing her joints pop as she stretched.  Then she creakily rose from her chair & stumbled off to the lift.

"Now I've got THAT taken care of…  I can go back to the party…"

Things on the Canteen level, were much as they were when Mazurka had left.  The only change was that Shakey was getting hoarse from talking.

'Oh Shakey,' Mazurka shook her head in disbelief, 'There you are, the only boy at a party with lots of pretty girls who like you…  Sitting down…'

Mazurka walked over to the music player, & turned it off.  The sudden lack of music caused every head in the room to turn towards her.

Noticing that she had their complete attention, Mazurka grinned, "Well now, looks like THIS party needs livening up some!"

Shakey watched, a vague sense of doom growing within him.

"Tell me," Mazurka slyly quipped, "What does THIS tune make you think of?"  She slipped another tape into the machine, & played it.

The clones blinked, & Shakey began to sweat nervously, as they recognised the music that Shakey & Aesir had 'synchro-trained' to that time.

"Shakey!" Mazurka's exclamation was more like a polite order, "Don't just sit there!  Get up & show these girls how well you can dance!"

Shakey turned pale.  "B-But!" he croaked, "That was a long time ago!"

"And?" queried Mazurka, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sure the Girls won't hold it against you if you're a little 'rusty'…"

Shakey swallowed heavily, & not just because his throat was hoarse from talking.

Mazurka grinned, "As I recall, Aesir was a pretty good dance partner…  I'm sure any of these Girls would be more than willing to show you they are too!"

As one, the Clones turned to look expectantly at Shakey.  Shakey was trapped like a rat, with nowhere to run to, & no chance of running.

"All right…" Shakey resigned himself to his fate & rose from his seat, "Who wants to dance with me?"

"I will," **ALL** of the Clones chorused at once, surprising Shakey, & making Mazurka grin even harder…

"Well now Ladies," Mazurka was grinning from ear to ear, "Lets' do this in an fair & orderly fashion!  The Clone with the lowest number gets first dance…"

Rave#3 stepped forward.  She took up the starting position of the dance on Shakey's right hand side.  She turned her head & looked quietly at him, reassuring him, letting him know he had nothing to fear from those around him.

Without a word, the other Clones drew back, giving the pair room to dance.  Mazurka pressed 'play', & the music began.

Shakey was right, he was rusty, but neither Rave#3, or any of the other Clones he danced with that night seemed to mind.

What they DID mind, was that poor Shakey wasn't able to dance with ALL of them…

Soon enough, he was out of breath & ready to collapse.  Seeing his condition, Mazurka decided to call it a night.  Mazurka couldn't help but note though, the looks of concern & disappointment on the faces of the Clones.

"Don't worry about it!" Mazurka reassured them as she dragged the exhausted boy off home, "He'll be able to dance with the rest of you, once he recovers…"

'C-Can't run away…' thought a wheezing Shakey, '…cause I can't even stand up…'

Back at their apartment, Mazurka draped the exhausted youth over his bed.  She paused at the door after turning the bedroom light off.

"I'm glad you were able to be there tonight," Mazurka murmured in the twilight, "I know the Girls really enjoyed having you over."

Shakey wheezed incoherently from his bed.

"Shakey," Mazurka asked hesitantly, "There's… another favour I'd like from you…  The Commander wants me to teach the Girls how to be like other girls their age…"

Shakey didn't answer.

"I've already asked you to watch out for Rave," Mazurka continued, "Will you help me teach them how to be normal girls as well?"

Shakey remained silent.

"Shakey?" asked Mazurka.

"…yes…" the answer sighed out of the darkness, "…i'll help…  But please…  Do I have to dance with ALL of them?"

Mazurka smiled, "Well…  If you don't, they might feel 'left out'…  That's a sure way of hurting a girl…"

"All right then," Shakey sighed, resigning himself to his fate, "But not all at once…  I don't think I could handle going through tonight again…"

"Don't complain!" remonstrated Mazurka, "Not every young man is lucky enough to know even ONE girl, who likes him half as much as they all like you…"

"Huh…?" was all Shakey said.

"I mean it," Mazurka confirmed, "Rave & the other Girls DO care about you.  If they didn't, why would they treat you so well?"

Mazurka shut the door to Shakey's room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

'The Clones… 'like'… me?' Shakey was incredulous.  As he remembered how the Clones, & Rave#2 in particular, had acted towards him, he began to believe.

A sense of wonder grew within him.  That & the new knowledge that others liked him, kept sleep at bay for quite a while, despite his exhaustion…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Leftovers.

That night, the Clones dreamed, their minds merging into one…

Shakey…  He helps us…

He did not want me to strain myself…

But…  We are stronger than he is?

Does he know that?

Perhaps he thought I was one of the injured?

Perhaps it is because he cares about us?

He was upset when he knew we were using the shower…

Like he was when he delivered our ID Card…

Even though he did not see us, or touch us, this time…

Why?

Mazurka said, he is afraid his actions will be misinterpreted…

That he is afraid of making others dislike him…

Was he afraid we would misinterpret his actions?

Was he afraid that we would not want to be his friend?

He values our opinions…

Does he value our friendship as well?

He has many other friends…

Does he value our friendship, like he does theirs?

Perhaps…  He does…

He talked with us!

As he would his other friends!

He danced with us!

As he did with the Second Pilot, & the Second Rave!

He tired himself out dancing with us…

Those of us who could dance…

Mazurka said he would dance with the rest of us later…

But…  Will he tire himself out again?

We do not want to hurt him…

We will not hurt him!

We will be mindful of his health!

We will not let him tire himself out!

Not in teaching us!

Not in helping us!

Not in dancing with us!

Not in being our friend!

We will protect him, even from himself!

We WILL be a friend to him!

That night, the Clones slept very well indeed…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 6 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Offer.

"And while I've got you here Major, I'd like to have a little talk with you concerning those rumours about my son & Rave…"

"But Sir, it wasn't his fault that…"

"I realise that," Glando's voice rose in volume, "That D--N Fan Fiction Writer has obviously been watching 'Tenchi Muyo' again…"

"Really?" asked Mazurka, "I thought he'd been watching 'DNA2'?"

"Couldn't have!" Glando asserted with all the Certified Authority only a cartoon character could have, "Otherwise Shakey would've been the one to beat the LIVING C--P out of those thugs, not Rave…"

NOTE #1 'Tenchi Muyo', the story of a young man who has 6 Super-Powered Alien Females, fall in love with him…  And they're **ALL** JEALOUS as Hell too!

NOTE #2 'DNA2' or DNA Squared' is the story of a young man who turns into a Hunk with super powers.  He 'saves the day', by beating up the bad guys…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Other Orders.

Glando sat silently for several minutes after the doors closed behind Mazurka.

"S--T!" Glando hissed irritably, "All this 'Office Work of the Evil B-----D In Charge' is getting to me!  I need to kick back & relax…"

He picked up his phone, & dialled.  It rang three times, before being picked up.

"Yes?" asked the soft voice of Rave Imanonymous #3.

"Rave," Glando stated, "Scrambler."

A scratchy noise warbled over the phone.  Satisfied, Glando activated his own scrambler unit, & the noise disappeared.

"Rave, I need to let off some steam…  We'll 'paint the town red' tonight…  Be ready by 11:00 PM, in the usual getup…"

"Yes Sir."

Later that night, an unmarked NERVIS limo deposited two strangely attired figures in one of the seedier areas of the City.  The tallest of the two, was an elderly bearded man, complete with limp, walking stick, & a transparent garbage bag, stuffed full with LARGE denomination notes.  His companion appeared to be just another brainless teenage trend follower, complete with loose socks, & run-of-the-mill 'sailor' type schoolgirl uniform.

A closer look would reveal that it was really Glando & Rave in disguise…

The two made their way into the squalor of the run-down suburb.  Glando hammed his part up, limping painfully, & cackling dementedly, loudly proclaiming…

"Who'd have thought I'd be lucky enough to win all this cash in the lottery?"

Of course, the inevitable happened…

"Hey Pops!" said a voice from the shadows, "Why doncha share some of that luck?"

Glando & Rave stopped, & looked into the gloom where the voice had spoken from.

"Yeah Old-Timer!" said a second voice behind them, "It's good luck to share…"

Glando turned slowly, a look of fear on his disguised face.

"Who's there?" Glando called out.

"Just us," said a third voice as a pack of thugs materialised from out of the gloom, "Your friendly neighbourhood tax collectors…"

"Yeah," smirked a fourth, "And we're collecting for 'Urban Renewal' tonight…"

"So fork it over, you Old B-----D," sneered a fifth, "Or your luck'll run out…"

Glando & Rave found themselves in the centre of a circle of thugs.  Glando acted like a scared old man might, gulping heavily, & waving his walking stick.

"And what if I don't WANT to share with you layabouts?" Glando cackled.

"Well then," informed one of the pack with polite arrogance, "We'll just have to find some way of… persuading you… to let us have it…"

"Yeah," confirmed the others, some looking covetously at the moneybag, others leering ominously at Rave.

"Oh, you've persuaded ME to 'let you have it', all right," Glando said on noticing the ones leering at Rave.  He turned to Rave & spoke quietly, "Rave?"

"Yes Sir?"

Glando pointed at the thugs & said one word, "MAIM…"

Rave blurred into action, wreaking carnage in the shadows to the screams of the disbelieving thugs.

"Now then," Glando said pleasantly, as he strolled over to one of the screaming injured, "You're the one who called me an 'Old B-----D', aren't you?  Rave?"

"Yes Sir?"

"He's first…  Terminate with **EXTREME** prejudice!  No need to rush…"

"Yes Sir…"

Glando sighed contentedly, a 'warm and fuzzy feeling' in his chest as he watched Rave do her bit to 'take-back-the-night', mainly by 'taking-out-the-trash'…

The Fan Fiction Writer felt a need to explain things…  The preceding OMAKE might not be what other people consider normal 'Family Time' activities for even a 'surrogate' Father & Daughter to share…  But this IS Glando we're talking about…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Packing.

It was a more pleasant ride than Mazurka had feared.  The ventilator supplied plenty of fresh tasting air, & the ride itself wasn't rough at all, but more like being in a family car.  Most surprisingly though, was how quiet it was inside the cargo box, the rumble of the truck engine being felt rather than heard, & street noise noticeable in its absence.

'Okay, so it's not a cattle car,' Mazurka grudgingly conceded…

'But that don't mean the girls won't feel… dehumanised!'  Mazurka's brow furrowed as she tried to think up some way to improve the social atmosphere…

Inspiration Struck!  Mazurka asked the Clones, "Do any of you know the song, 'Row, Row, Row your Boat'?"

The Clones nodded, they, or rather the earlier Raves, had heard it in school.

"Well then," smiled Mazurka, "Let's have a sing-song shall we?"

The voices of the Clones chimed merrily for the rest of the trip.  Except for when they were singing songs from Mazurka's favourite 'Death Metal' Band…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Inspection.

The truck containing Mazurka & the Clones, rumbled through the streets of the city, making many twists & turns in its journey…

'Why are we making so many turns?' Mazurka was more than slightly concerned, 'Are they trying to confuse someone watching us?  Or is this just more typical Security mentality at work?'

The answer was neither, & much more mundane, than many might think…

The battles with the Alien War-Machines had often trashed the city.  Efforts to rebuild, had often included 'upgrades', & 'modifications'…  Consequently, the road maps were constantly being rewritten, as the current layout existed for a few months, only to be obliterated in the next attack.

To facilitate efficient transport, all NERVIS vehicles were equipped with state of the art Global Positioning Satellite systems.  The GPS systems gave the driver an up-to date computerised road map, & showed them where they were on it.  It also showed all of the scheduled 'Road Works', street blockages, detours, & diversions that rebuilding required…

As well as the haphazard traffic jams that naturally resulted…

Put simply, the driver had to be 'inventive' getting from point A to Point B…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Stock Options #1.

"Okay…  Let's reassess the situation!" Mazurka applied her Brilliant Tactical Mind to trying to reason her way out of the problem she was in, totally ignoring the fact she was talking to herself.

"Point ONE…  Hygiene supplies…  Standard items will arrive within days.  We can take supplies from the restrooms of the facility we're leaving, that'll tide us over…  H--L, we can even buy them ourselves if necessary, no problem!"

Later that day, Glando had another gruelling session with STEELY.  Afterwards, he used the 'executive washroom' attached to his office…

'At least these meetings stop me needing laxatives…' Glando smirked arrogantly as he sat down & 'expressed an opinion' about his Superiors.  When it was time to take care of the 'paperwork', Glando had an unpleasant surprise…

The toilet paper dispenser was empty…

There wasn't even a cardboard tube he could use…

Unfortunately for Glando, the sheer size of his intimidatingly large office would stop anyone from hearing him call for help.  Let alone the sound proof doors.  He began to sweat, as he considered the few unpleasant options he had…

Elsewhere, the Clones made a pile of the 'hygiene supplies' they'd scrounged…

Mazurka had failed to adequately define the limits of the 'facility' they were to take supplies from, so the Clones had 'ratted' EVERY toilet they knew of.

Including the 'executive offices'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Stock Options #2.

"No.  I use supplies from the Base."

"Really?  Including 'Feminine Protection'?" Mazurka oh-so tactfully inquired.

NOTE It was at this point in the Main Story, that most of the Male Readers ran away screaming…  In order to increase the readership base, the Fan Fiction Writer decided to do the OMAKE in 'Gunsmith Cats' style…  Or close enough…

"Yes," Rave replied, reaching into her skirt pocket & producing a pistol.

Mazurka blinked.

"9MM hollow points," clarified Rave, "Dr Akatlover said they were the ultimate in 'Feminine Protection'…"

Mazurka coughed, "Personally speaking, I prefer a 44 Magnum…"

"Is there much difference?" asked Rave.

"Is there ever!" Mazurka exclaimed, "Let me give you some advice, based on the personal experiences of me & my friends…  To start with…"

…There followed a lengthy, 'woman-to-woman' discussion about such things…

"…so that's why!" Mazurka concluded her storytelling…

"I see," Rave felt greatly informed by Mazurka's anecdotes…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Time Off.

Shakey was stiff & rusty, but he soon loosened up as the music filled him.  It took him away from his current life, to a place where his emotions could dip & soar, free to be in harmonious counterpoint to the notes he played.  He played several pieces, revelling in the joy he felt as he coaxed the music from the inanimate objects he held…

When he finally came back, he gave a satisfied sigh, 'I needed that…'

It was then that he heard another musical instrument being played elsewhere in the building.  The music played, then paused, then repeated.

On a whim, Shakey began playing along to it.

Which is how the 'symphony version' of 'Duelling Banjos' got on the Soundtrack…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Delivery.

As the lift doors closed behind Mazurka, she had one last thought.

'Wait a minute!  How DO you drive a forklift anyway?'

The Fan Fiction Writer decided to STOP RIGHT THERE…  He had **NO** intention of letting Mazurka drive a Fork Lift…  Not when he knew how she drove a car…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Teamwork.

The placid gazes of the injured followed Shakey, as he followed #13 through the dorm, & into the communal facilities at the end.  Which is where Shakey suddenly found himself in a room containing not only the expected toilet stalls, but also shower stalls.

…Some of which were in use…

Shakey heard splashing sounds from behind the shower stall doors, & stopped dead.  He started to back quickly out of the room, eyes downcast & blushing furiously.

He wasn't fast enough…

The shower stall door suddenly opened, & it's occupant came out, naked except for a towel draped over her shoulders.

Shakey's eyes went wide with frightened shock, as he saw a writhing mass of tentacles & chitinous exoskeleton beneath the towel.

"Is there a problem?" the thing asked softly in Rave's voice.

Shakey fainted in reply.

Clone#13 'sweat dropped' as she saw the creature, Err…  Sister?  Your body?

The thing looked down at itself, S--T!  The Fan Fiction Writer must have been watching the movie 'Species' again…

NOTE 'Species', a Sci-Fi movie about…  Um…  Sorry, definite SPOILER there…  I'd like to state, that I would REALLY like to see the shower scene in NGE TV series episode #5 done with the 'other' body of the Lead lady from Species…;)

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Explanations.

A thought struck Mazurka, as she walked back to the lift.

'Should I order a forklift?  I've got enough authorisation for it…' Mazurka pressed the 'request' button on the lift panel.  She pondered that while waiting for the lift.

For the sake of the curious, the Fan Fiction Writer decided to reveal what might happen if Mazurka DID order a forklift…

Mazurka stared in disbelief at the clerk, "What do you mean I'll have to drive it there myself?  Can't you deliver it?"

"Sorry Ma'am," replied the Stereotypical Stock Clerk, "We only deliver things on Pallets.  If it's not on a pallet, we don't deliver it.  Union Rules!"

"Ridiculous!" scoffed Mazurka, "They don't follow those rules with the AVE's…"

The clerk raised an eyebrow, "Different Union handles them Ma'am…"

Eventually, Mazurka 'bit the bullet', & drove the forklift over to the Clones' Secure Housing Facility by herself.

'Mayhem in the Streets!' screamed the headlines in the afternoon papers.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - House Warming.

"…yes…" the answer sighed out of the darkness, "…i'll help…  But please…  Do I have to dance with ALL of them?"

"Don't complain," remonstrated Mazurka, "At least it was only the 'AVE-rena' you danced all 43 times…  It could have been something more strenuous…"

With that, she left the room, leaving Shakey alone with his thoughts…

Shakey lay there sweating nervously, as he realised the truth in her words…

'She's right,' he thought worriedly, 'What if it had been 'Paul Mercurio style' Ballroom Dancing?  Or 'Patrick Swayze style' Dirty Dancing…'

'Or…' he turned white with Primordial Fear, 'Or even the Lambada?'

"Dear Lord!  Nooooooo…" he wailed in horror as the room spun around him.

NOTE This OMAKE makes better sense if you consider that it happens in the same 'reality' as the 'Teamwork' OMAKE mentioned above…  Think about it!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	8. 07 Two Faces

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 07 "Two Faces"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3…

Deep in the AVE Pilot Testing Facility, Rave Imanonymous #3 sat in one of three Test Units.  Her 'sister' Clones, Raves #5 & #6, sat in the other two units, taking their very first AVE Pilot Compatibility Test.

Glando Atari oversaw the operation from his Commander's seat on the Bridge.  He sat motionless, eyes taking in the data from the video displays, a stark contrast to the slightly fidgeting Fu2ok who stood alongside.

The Bridge Crew watched their own readouts, fine-tuning the systems.

"All systems are green," commented Mayi Buttin, the shorthaired protégé of the conspicuously absent Dr Akatlover.

"All candidates maintaining satisfactory levels," added Moccona Hoover, the spectacled wonder worker.

"No problems with neural feedback detected," observed Uhoh Surfsup, the longhaired one of the group.

The minutes ticked on, the tests going as 'normal'.

Fu2ok gradually began to relax, muttering quietly, "Well, so far, so good…"

Glando sat silently, as if in deep thought.  Suddenly he spoke, giving the order, "Change the Simulation Data to mimic Unit Won."

"Unit Won Sir?" Mayi asked incredulously, "But we haven't finished these…"

"Just DO it!" Glando ordered in a louder voice.

"Y-Yes Sir," Mayi offered no further protests, "Attention Pilots, we are aborting the current test.  We'll try again in a few minutes…"

Fu2ok leaned over & whispered to Glando, "Why test them for Unit Won?  We haven't even finished testing them for basic compatibility?"

"An experiment," replied Glando, "Observe…"

The Bridge crew finished recalibrating, & began testing with the new data.

The results were almost immediate.  Alarms began sounding, & computer readouts lit up with urgent warning messages.  The Test Unit systems began violently rejecting the attempts of the Clones to 'link' with them.

Rave#3 cried out in pain, & disorientation.  The other Clones added their cries mere heartbeats later.

"Rejection of Nerve linkage!" bellowed Moccona.

"Feedback detected!" yelled Uhoh.

"Aborting test," Mayi punched the emergency cut-off switch.

Explosive bolts blew, completely severing all cybernetic linkages to the Test Units.  The Test Units powered down, their escape hatches opening automatically.

The three Clones staggered out, confused & disorientated.

"Well," Fu2ok sourly observed, "That didn't go too well…"

"We'll see, Professor," Glando returned, "We'll see…"

Fu2ok gave Glando a suspicious stare…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Results?

The first AVE Pilot Compatibility tests of the day had gone badly.  While the original test subjects were recovering from the mental trauma they'd suffered, minor repairs were required on the Test Units.  The repairs were only minor things, such as manually resetting circuit breakers & replacing the explosive charges in the Emergency cut-off devices.

In the midst of the hubbub, the Bridge Crew were trying to determine what valid data they had from the fiasco.

Mayi was the one to give Glando the bad news, "I'm sorry Sir!  But we don't have any solid data from the tests…"

"It is of no consequence," Glando replied dismissively, "It was only a Test.  I want what data you do have, sent to my office immediately."

"Yes Sir," Mayi punched in the data send request, "Shall I send the candidates home as well?"

"No," Glando rose from his desk, "Keep them on 'standby' status, until I finish reviewing the data."

Glando stalked from the room, Fu2ok following.  Shortly afterwards, the pair were in Glando's office, reviewing what little data had been collected…

Fu2ok watched as Glando flipped through a sheaf of printouts, then the elderly advisor spoke his mind, "I don't understand Atari…  How can you say it wasn't a failure?  They were rejected outright!"

Glando responded by handing over some of the printouts he had, "As you can see, their results with the Data from Unit Null, are practically identical.  So it is safe to assume they are all fully capable of piloting Unit Null…"

"We no longer HAVE a Unit Null" Fu2ok countered, "And they ALL had problems using data from Unit Won…"

Glando pointed to a particular line of the results, "Their results with the Data from Unit Won were nearly identical.  Except for being rejected…"

Fu2ok squinted as he read the information.  He harrumphed, "It's only a matter of mere seconds at most…"

"Look at the Neural Feedback graph for each pilot…"

Fu2ok did, & his eyes widened in disbelief, "Atari!  If I'm reading this right…  Although Rave#3 was rejected immediately, the others not only lasted longer, but had more control as well.  You can see how their graphs fluctuate, rather than cut off sharply!"

"Correct.  The system wasted no time in rejecting Rave#3.  The others lasted slightly longer.  Rave#5 the longest…"

Fu2ok frowned, "But…  Their results with Unit Null's data were the same?"

A gleam appeared in Glando's glasses, "That's what makes this so interesting.  The Clones have Rave's memories of how to control Unit Null, & Unit Won.  They've proven they are equally capable of piloting Unit Null.  However, Unit Won rejects 'Rave' as a Pilot.  We should have had identical results for all of the Clones…  We didn't…  It appears that Unit Won, does not consider the Clones to be exactly the same as Rave#3…"

Fu2ok's face lit up with realisation, "Mental Contamination!  The event in the Doppelganger Lab has made the Tank Clones appear 'different' to Rave#3!"

"I believe so…"

"So," Fu2ok slowly drawled, "There's a possibility… one or more of the Clones may be sufficiently 'different', for Unit Won to accept them as a pilot?"

"More than that Professor.  People learn by repetition.  Rave took months to learn how to control Unit Null.  Her memories enabled the other Clones to be capable of piloting Unit Null, without actual 'training'…  If the Clones can give skills to each other via memory downloads, could such… pooled knowledge… help them gain control of another AVE in a shorter time?  Unit Won perhaps?"

"Perhaps," Fu2ok cautiously agreed, "But there's no way we could use the Doppelganger Lab without giving it a complete refit…"

Glando smirked, "I don't think we need to worry about that Professor."

Fu2ok narrowed his eyes, "Do you know something I don't?"

Glando smiled silently in reply.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Gossip.

The NERVIS Bridge Crew were a group of dedicated professionals.  A true Elite, their training & motivation had enabled them to perform their jobs, while staring Death in the face.  They were calm, cool, & collected…

…But that didn't stop them from gossiping when their superiors were absent…

Mayi Buttin sighed deeply, then turned her attention to the screen before her.  It was currently showing the status of various systems in the Test Facilities.  Most notably, the Test Units that until recently, had been used to test the Piloting capabilities of three Rave Clones.

"This is really weird…" the comment came as Uhoh Surfsup pushed his long hair back from his face.

The unexpected comment jolted Mayi out of her own monotonous monitoring "Huh?  What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just…" Uhoh frowned, "I dunno…  Our 'candidates' today…  It's like looking at multiple Raves!"

Mayi agreed, "Tell me about it!  How do you think I feel, doing their physical exams?  Talk about déjà vu…"

Uhoh frowned, "What I don't understand, is where did they all came from?  AVE pilots were thin on the ground, & now we've got 'em coming out our ears…  And why do they all look like Rave?"

Moccona took a break from his coffee, "Haven't you heard?"

Uhoh shrugged, "Only the thin word from above…  And a few rumours…"

Moccona turned to Mayi, "What about you Mayi?"

Mayi looked troubled, "Um…  Much the same as Uhoh…"

Uhoh eyed Moccona suspiciously, "What about you Moccona?  What have you heard?"

Moccona squirmed as Mayi added her curious stare to Uhoh's, "Well…  My contacts have told me… stuff…"

Uhoh & Mayi both scooted their chairs over to Moccona, & looked at him expectantly.

"Spill it," ordered Uhoh, "We're both in the dark on this…"

Moccona sipped his coffee, "What do you really know about them?"

"That's just it!" Mayi retorted, "I don't know ANYTHING about them!  I don't even know their names!  They just use a three-digit number for the medical records.  All I know is, they're practically 'identical twins' to Rave!"

Moccona grinned as if at a private joke, "Heh!  Funny you should say that.  In a way, they are her 'twin' sisters…"

"That can't be!" Mayi insisted, "I've examined 16 of them!  No one has that many 'identical twin sisters'…  It's just not possible!"

Moccona arched an eyebrow, "Even if they're all Clones?"

The eyes of the other Bridge Crew went wide in amazement.

"You're joking!" Mayi gasped in shock, "Tell me you're joking!"

Moccona shook his head, a serious expression on his face.

"Dude!" Uhoh wheezed, "We've finally taken One Step Beyond the Black Stump, & are now in the Outer Limits of the Twilight Zone!"

"Clones?" Mayi was confused & uneasy at the implications of the term, "But… where did they come from?"

Moccona looked deep into his coffee, "Remember that 'snap' Emergency Training exercise last week?"

Uhoh & Mayi both nodded, apprehensive looks on their faces.

"It wasn't an exercise," Moccona said quietly, "And I got this STRAIGHT from the Medical staff involved!  A lab in a Secure area had an 'accident'…  Suddenly, there's a LOT of dead & wounded…  All girls…  ALL looking like Rave…"

"Oh my God…" Mayi went pale.

Uhoh gulped, his throat suddenly dry, "Then…  Today's candidates…" he trailed off, unable to say anymore.

Moccona finished for Uhoh, "…are some of the survivors…"

They sat quietly for a while.

"Was," Mayi hesitantly began, "Was anyone else hurt in it?"

Moccona spared Mayi a glance, "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Mayi shifted nervously in her seat, "I was ordered to conduct their physical exams by myself…  Dr Akatlover would usually do that…  I mean… I'd assist her…  But…"

"I'm sorry Mayi," Moccona gently interrupted, "But I don't know where Dr Akatlover is…"

Mayi nodded despondently.

"…Although I do know two people who WERE there…" Moccona's comment made him the centre of attention again, "Apparently, Shakey & Major Kutsarug were IN the lab when things went 'boom'.  They tried to help the injured, but Shakey…"

Moccona paused to take a swig of his coffee, "Shakey saw people die…  Up close & personal…  He couldn't handle it…  They had to medivac him to a Psychiatric Hospital…"

Mayi looked horrified, "He was that badly affected?"

"Yep," Moccona confirmed, "He was kept in 'secure isolation'…  One step short of a padded cell…"

"Oh Man," Uhoh groaned, "That bites!"

"That's why we haven't run any pilot tests on him," Moccona continued, "They're still making sure he's all right.  They don't want a pilot with 'emotional problems' getting anywhere near an AVE…"

Mayi's heart went out to Shakey.  "The poor boy," she murmured.

"There is some good news though," once again, Moccona's comment made him the centre of attention, "All of the survivors have been put under the care & supervision of Major Kutsarug…"

"Why?" asked Uhoh.

Moccona shrugged, "Probably because she was there, & now knows about them.  She's helping Shakey's convalescence, by letting him help her out with them…"

"So how's Rave taking all this?" asked Mayi, "Did she know about the Cl-  I mean her 'sisters'?"

Moccona hesitated, "Now that's a BIG question…  I don't know what Rave thinks, or how this situation has affected her…  But I do know one thing…"

Moccona deliberately paused for effect.

"What?" the others demanded in unison.

"Mayi dear?" Moccona's voice was positively dripping with 'sweetness & light', "I'm afraid you're going to be rather busy in the weeks to come…"

Mayi's eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Why?"

Moccona grinned, "Because you've only examined 16 of them."

"And?" Mayi really didn't like the expression on Moccona's face.

"And I know for a fact," Moccona continued, "That there are 137 of them!"

Mayi groaned, & rested her head in her hands.

Moccona chuckled, "Cheer up!  It could be worse."

"How?" Mayi demanded, lifting her head to stare at Moccona.

Moccona playfully shook a finger at Mayi, "You only have to deal with them one at a time…  Think how Major Kutsarug must feel, having to deal with them all at once!"

"Don't say things like that!" Mayi moaned & put her head back in her hands, "I don't want to think about it!  Just seeing three of them together is hard enough to handle…"

"Don't worry," Moccona asserted reassuringly, "You can take it!"

"Yeah," agreed Uhoh, "If Mazurka can handle seeing so many Raves, so can you!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Bad News.

Rave#3 stood silently at attention in Glando's office, still dressed in the Snug Suit she'd worn for her test.  Glando sat behind his desk & looked at the young girl in front of him.

"Rave," Glando said quietly, "You told me of an incident that occurred outside the Doppelganger Lab, soon after Doctor Ritzy Akatlover destroyed it.  I am authorising you to discuss that incident, as well as any related incidents, or other unusual events that may have occurred since.  In your own words, summarise what happened, at that time…"

"Yes Sir," Rave softly replied, "Events surrounding the release of the Clones from the Tank resulted in Shakey suffering Hypothermia.  I found him, & determined what help he needed.  I did not have the supplies to help him.  Another Clone gave supplies to me without my asking.  She also told me what had happened to Shakey."

"How… did she tell you?" Glando stared intently at Rave.

"I suddenly remembered what had happened, although I was not there at the time."

"Has anything similar happened since then?"

"Yes."

"Elaborate."

"The same night, I dreamt of the event.  Even though I was not there to witness it, I still remembered seeing it from various viewpoints.  For several nights afterwards, I had similar dreams.  Although the later dreams focussed on other events, I still saw things from various viewpoints.  My dreams felt like a Memory Download session.  I believed that somehow, we Clones were sharing memories.  One night, I confirmed it by asking questions.  I spoke with the Other Clones, & we exchanged memories."

"Must you be asleep, to 'speak' to the others?  To exchange memories?"

"No Sir.  I do not need to be asleep."

Glando tensed slightly, "So, you can 'talk' to the other Clones while awake?"

"Yes sir."

"What do you talk about?"

Rave hesitated, blushing slightly, "Mostly things affecting our operational efficiency.  How we can best cooperate to get things done."

"Can you directly contact a specific Clone?"

"I do not know.  I have not tried."

"What about the others?  Can they?"

"I do not know."

"Rave.  Clones #5 & #6, the ones who were tested with you, are with Sub-Commander Fu2ok.  Can you try & send a message to them?"

"Yes Sir."

"Very Well.  The message is '2 5 9 vertical'"

Rave paused, then replied, "Sub-Commander Fu2ok says that the crossword does not have that many questions…"

"Rave…" Glando said slowly, "…We need to run more tests…  For security reasons, I want you to remain in this facility until they are finished.  The tests may take several days."

Rave tensed slightly.

Glando noticed her reaction, "Don't worry about missing School.  One of the other Clones will stand in for you."

"Yes Sir."

Glando smiled, "I'm sure they'll keep you up to date…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Hallway.

Shakey Atari stood in the hallway outside his classroom, buckets clasped in either hand.  He was NOT having a good day…

"This isn't my day," Shakey whined.

The dancing session with the Clones the night before had tired him out more than he'd realised, & he'd promptly gone back to sleep after turning off his alarm clock.  He'd only gotten out of bed after he should have left for school.  Even though Mazurka gave him a lift, Shakey had been woefully late.  His lateness had earned him some time out in the Hallway, holding water buckets.

Shakey received another surprise about an hour before lunch.  He had closed his eyes in an attempt to shut out the world around him, & hopefully, the way the buckets were starting to tire his arms.

It didn't work…

With a sigh of sore-muscled despair, Shakey opened his eyes, only to start in shock.  Standing directly in front of him was Rave Imanonymous.  Her crimson eyes were gazing placidly at his face.

"R-Rave?" Shakey whispered, "What are you doing out here?"

"I just arrived," Rave quietly replied, "Why are you in the hall?"

"I overslept & got here late," confessed Shakey.

"Overslept?"

"Yeah…  I guess all the dancing last night tired me out more than I thought…"

Rave looked concerned, "We… I did not know… you were so tired…  W… I am sorry…"

"That's okay," Shakey smiled, "It's nothing a few days rest won't cure…"

Rave stood silently, looking away from Shakey with an embarrassed expression.

Shakey noticed Rave's change in attitude.  'It's not her fault I got tired,' he thought, 'Mazurka was the Genius who suggested I dance with ALL of them in the first place…'

"Rave?" Shakey's whisper prompted Rave to look at him, "It's no big deal," he reassured, "Honest…"

Rave seemed relieved by Shakey's admission.

"Besides," Shakey added, "The dancing was kinda fun."

Rave smiled shyly, "You enjoyed dancing with us?"

"Yeah," Shakey admitted, "But…  Did you enjoy yourself?  I was pretty rusty…"

Rave hesitated, "I… look forward to dancing with you… when you recover…"

"Huh," Shakey smiled ruefully, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait until I finish dancing with all of the others first…  Mazurka said they'd feel left out if I didn't dance with them…"

"Yes…  They would…" Rave looked deep into Shakey's eyes.

Shakey squirmed self-consciously, "Ah…  About that, can you do me a favour?"

Rave looked at Shakey expectantly, wordlessly prompting him to continue.

"Can you tell them…  I'll dance with them as soon as I can…  But, I'm only human…  I don't think I'll be able to finish dancing with them anytime soon…"

"They know…" Rave murmured.  She fell silent, just standing there.

After a few minutes, a puzzled Shakey asked, "Aren't you going into class?"

Rave blushed slightly, "No.  My late arrival would disrupt the other students.  I will… wait here… until the lunch break."

Rave stood beside Shakey in the hallway, waiting for the lunch bell…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Academy?

In Clone's training facility, Mazurka was not exactly having a good day herself…

The night before, Mazurka had pushed herself to finish the Clones Pilot Testing schedule.  Having finished it, she'd allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in.  She'd counted on the extra sleep to freshen her mind for the chore of arranging the curriculum for the Clones Social education.

Her plan worked…

Mazurka was now fully restored, & more than ready to grapple with the problem of teaching the Clones what it was to be a 'normal' human.

Then Mazurka had actually sat down & started thinking seriously about things…

"Where do I start?" Mazurka asked herself, "The Girls need a lot of information, but what do I teach them about FIRST?"

It was a dilemma of Herculean proportions.  Mazurka though, was up to the challenge…  She reviewed everything she knew about the Clones, including what limited social contact they'd had.

The near-disastrous situation with the recent 'rumours' crossed her mind…

"Of Course!" Mazurka declared, the solution to her problem making itself known, "Communication!  If they don't know what people are talking about, how can they learn?  How can they properly interact with others?"

Mazurka hastily scribbled down some notes.

"Once they can communicate effectively with other girls their age, things will be so much easier for them…  Let's see, they'll need to know social terms, as well as popular technical jargon…  Then there's youth culture, street language, slang…  Better add swear words as well…  Even if it isn't polite, they should know, especially if it warns them that they're in the presence of low-lives…"

Mazurka paused, "Hmmm…  Just cause they know bad language, doesn't mean they should use it…  Better add lessons in acting like polite young Ladies…  Manners, etiquette, how to act properly in social settings…  Social settings…  If they're going to meet people, they'll need something better than the Hospital pyjamas they've got now…  Looks like 'Dressmaking' is next on the agenda…  Fine!  Making their own clothes will save money…"

Of course, Mazurka's Brilliant Plan had its flaws, "Uh-oh…  If they meet other girls…  There'll be 'girl-talk'…  Looks like I'll have to schedule some more of those 'Facts of Life' talks with them…"

Mazurka paled as she considered the job THAT would be…

"Should I have a little talk with Shakey about it as well?  Huh…  Unless the Commander wants to have 'that' talk with his son instead…"

Mazurka sweat-dropped as she tried to visualise Glando sitting down & having a Manly  'Father-to-Son' talk with Shakey about the 'Facts of Life'…

'Then again,' Mazurka wearily rubbed her temples, 'Maybe not…'

Mazurka quickly narrowed things down to three lists.  One was what she considered 'essential basics', the second was 'desirable extras', while the last was definitely a 'wish list'.

The last included such things as music lessons…

"Music lessons cost money, & the instruments even more so…  I wonder if Shakey would be agreeable to teaching them about the Cello?  I know musicians get 'upset' about others touching their instruments, but I don't think he'd mind…"

Mazurka stopped to review what she'd done.

"Scheduling classes for them won't be a problem…  The Girls study their 'normal' school lessons by themselves…  As they don't have to travel to school, I should be able to sneak in an extra lesson or two each day…"

It was some hours before Mazurka was finally satisfied with the fine details…

"Well," Mazurka quipped happily, "It looks like 'Madam Mazurka's Finishing School for Young Ladies', will shortly be open for business!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Lunch.

The School bell tolled, announcing the start of lunch & the end of Shakey's punishment for being late.  With a grateful sigh, he put the buckets back on their hooks in the hallway.

The flow of students leaving their classes forced Shakey to stop & stand by a wall.  Along with Rave, he waited for a break in the crowds so he could get his lunch from his school bag in the classroom.  While waiting, Shakey was somewhat surprised, & more than a little concerned, to find a large group of students forming around him & Rave.

"Hey Atari," stated one of the male students, "Is it true that…"

"NO it isn't!" Shakey snapped, having had MORE than enough of rumours, not to mention how his early morning detention & hunger had made him irritable, "Me & Rave are NOT an item!  We never did 'anything'!  She only slept over as a Guest!  Nothing more!  Got It?"

With that, Shakey angrily pushed his way past the others & went to get his lunch.  The students were more than a little surprised by Shakey's loud denial.  Not just because they thought he was a 'wuss'…

"Atari?" called the same male student, "I didn't mean those…" he stopped mid-sentence, as a pale hand firmly grasped his shoulder.

The male student slowly looked behind him…

Straight into the crimson eyes of Rave Imanonymous…

"He has told the truth," Rave stated in too-quiet tones, her gaze boring through the student in her grasp, "We did not do the things, other people said we did."

"Ah-I w-wasn't asking about those rumours…" the student gulped nervously.

"Oh?" Rave asked quietly, her unblinking gaze still looking through him, "Then what rumours were you talking about?"

"A-about you & the 'Seniors Gang' last week…  T-that you put them in hospital…"

Rave paused, 'I must be careful what I say.  I do not want to start rumours…'

Rave stared into the other student's eyes, "Last week, a group of six males attacked me.  I fought them off.  They sustained serious injuries, I did not."

"A-all by yourself?"

"Yes," Rave replied calmly.

All around Rave, eyes widened in shock.  Many had thought the rumours about a quiet girl like Rave taking the gang on & winning were nonsense…  But now…  Now, the other students stared at Rave with a new found respect.

"Man!" exclaimed the student Rave held, "Wait'll the others hear about… URK!!"

He was cut off in mid-sentence, as Rave's grip on his shoulder suddenly increased in strength.  Rave's fingers sank into soft flesh, causing the student considerable pain as his bones grated together audibly.

"You should not spread rumours," Rave said in a deadpan monotone, "They can result in people getting hurt."

The scared student nodded vigorously, tears in his eyes.

Rave released him.  She looked at the other students around her, "Does anyone else, want to ask questions about any rumours they may have heard?"

The cowed students remained silent.  Getting no more questions, Rave walked off.  She went & collected her food from her bag in the classroom, then sat beside Shakey & began to eat.

"More Rumours?" Shakey asked warily, swallowing the mouthful he'd been chewing.

"I gave them the facts about the matter in question," Rave replied honestly.

Shakey groaned, "Oh no…  I'm sorry…  Did their questions upset you?"

Rave turned to face Shakey, "No.  They did not upset me."

Rave's assessment of her reaction to the questions, did NOT reassure those eavesdroppers who'd just seen her 'man-handle' the male student.

Despite Rave's warning, a different set of rumours began to spread.  Quietly…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Thanks.

After the morning problems, the rest of the day turned out easy for Shakey.  At least, no one sent him any embarrassing E-Mails, nor did anyone ask him any questions about any rumours.

Rave though, was another matter…

Rave's terminal suddenly started flashing with a 'New Mail' icon, making her blink in surprise.  In all the time she'd been at the school, she'd only ever received 'Official' School messages on her terminal, or the occasional e-mail spam when e-mail viruses made their rounds.

The fact the message arrived during class, meant it probably wasn't an official school message.  The school tried to save computer-processing costs by 'bulk-posting' official messages after hours, & during lunch.

Curious, Rave activated the mail program.  As she suspected, the single e-mail on her machine wasn't 'official'…

It had come from another student, a girl in a lower grade by the name of Natsumi Iwakawa (NOTE! Uses Kanji for Summer + Beauty, Stony + River).

The message merely read, *Thank You!*

Rave looked at the message for several long moments in total confusion.  Then she did something else she'd never done before.  She sent an E-Mail in reply.

*What for?* was all Rave sent.

Five minutes later, the 'New Mail' icon was flashing on Rave's terminal.  This time, the message was a bit longer…

*You aren't the only one they tried to hurt.  You were the first they didn't…*

Rave stared at the message on her screen, linking the words to recent events, & remembering the words of Commander Atari…

'…if they hadn't accosted you, then they would probably have accosted some other girl…  One who might not have been able to assert her rights as you did…'

*Did they hurt you?* Rave sent the message back immediately.

Twenty minutes passed.  Rave watched her terminal intently, but it appeared that the other girl wasn't going to reply.  Then, the 'New Mail' icon started flashing again.

This time, the message was much more personal…

*Please.  May I talk with you?  After School?*

Rave replied, *If you wish*

The response was almost immediate.

*Thank You!  I will meet you at the School Gate, after last class*

The afternoon passed quickly, & soon enough, Shakey & Rave were on their way home.  Shakey was so glad to be going home, he didn't notice how the other students seemed to shy away from them, giving Rave an especially wide berth.

At the School gate, Rave suddenly stopped.

Shakey suddenly found himself walking alone.  He looked back to where Rave was standing & asked, "Rave?  What's up?"

"Someone wants to meet me here," Rave replied, slowly looking around her.

The other students flowed past them, quite a few giving wary looks at Rave.  Rave ignored them & continued to sweep the area, her gaze eventually coming to rest on a nervous looking young girl by the wall.

The girl was a head shorter than Rave, her thin spindly body making the loose fit of her uniform look even baggier on her.  While clean & presentable, the uniform was faded & worn, with evidence of mending in several places.  Her skin was a darker tan than the other students, dark brown eyes looking timidly from a face wearing the marks of sleepless nights.  A simple black ponytail hung in a lacklustre manner past her shoulders.  The way the girl held a scruffy school port in front of her, completed the impression of a frightened innocent from a lower-income family.

Rave walked over to the girl & asked politely, "Ms Iwakawa, I presume?"

"M-Ms Imanonymous?" the girl stammered, her eyes widening in shock.

Shakey looked on in confusion, as the younger girl burst into tears…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Trust.

Rave Imanonymous stood outside the school gates, watching a younger girl cry.

'What should I do?' Rave wondered.  A memory of another girl, in the depths of emotional turmoil came to Rave's mind.  As well as a memory of how a friend had tried to comfort her.

Rave stepped up to the younger girl, & put an arm around her, in a gentle hug.

"If you want to talk about it," Rave murmured, "I am here, I will listen…"

Natsumi pressed her face against Rave's shoulder & wept.

Shakey was understandably worried by the turn of events, "Rave?  What's going on?"

Rave merely replied, "I was not the only one, to meet those I did last week…"

A look of concern washed over Shakey's face, "Oh…" was all he was able to say.

The three stood there until Natsumi had calmed down enough to be able to talk.

"Th-Thank you!" Natsumi sniffled, "You d-don't know…  How hard…"

"It's all right Miss," Shakey said in gentle tones, offering her a handkerchief,  "Everything will be all right now…"

"Who are you?" Natsumi recoiled from Shakey's kind offer, eying him with fear & distrust.

Rave answered, "He is my friend."

Shakey rallied, formally introducing himself, "My Apologies Ms Iwakawa.  My Name Is Shakey Atari, And I'm Pleased To Meet You!"

Natsumi nodded at him, relaxing enough to accept the offered handkerchief, but still keeping her distance.

"You wanted to talk," stated Rave, "Is it to do with the 'Senior Gang'?"

Natsumi tensed up, & she suddenly looked nervous again.

"Uh," interrupted Shakey, "Maybe it would be better if we spoke about this at Mazurka's place?"

"Who's Mazurka?" asked Natsumi.

"My Guardian," Shakey & Rave answered simultaneously.

"You both have the same Guardian?"

"Err…  Yes well, it's kinda complicated…" mumbled Shakey.  He paused, then bowed deeply, & formally asked, "Ms Iwakawa, I Would Be Honoured If You Would Accept Our Hospitality…"

Natsumi smiled slightly, relaxing even more.

"It would be better if we were to discuss this at Mazurka's," Rave confirmed.

"All right," Natsumi reluctantly agreed.

With that settled, Shakey & Rave led Natsumi off to Mazurka's apartment.  Along the way, they passed the Diner where Shakey had bought Rave her first Malted Milkshake.

Shakey smiled, "Hey Rave!  Would you like a Malted Milk?"

Rave nodded, & changed course.  Natsumi followed.

Inside, Shakey found he only had enough money to get two & a half Milkshakes.  It was a bit of a letdown for him, 'Oh well, I don't really need one…  But it would've been nice if I could have gotten us one each…  I'll just get them for the others this time…'

"Would you like a Malted Milkshake, Ms Iwakawa?" Shakey asked.

Natsumi hesitated, then nodded timidly.

"What's your favourite flavour?" Shakey gently asked.

"Caramel," Natsumi shyly admitted.

Shakey turned to Rave, "Chocolate all right with you Rave?"

"Yes."

Shakey took the two shakes over to a table.  Rave looked at the Milkshakes, noting there was only one straw in each.  She took another straw from the dispenser, & dropped it into the Chocolate Milkshake.

"You forgot a straw," Rave said in response to Shakey's surprised look.

"Oh… right…" Shakey was more than a little embarrassed.

Natsumi watched as Shakey & Rave shared their Malt.

"Would you like some of this?" Natsumi asked, offering her half finished drink.

Rave looked at Shakey.

"You go ahead Rave," Shakey said, "You haven't tried Caramel yet, have you?"

"No," Rave replied, "Are you sure you do not want any?"

"I'm fine…"

Rave looked intently at Shakey for a few moments, but decided that this time, his comment correctly described his physical well-being.  Satisfied that Shakey wasn't about to collapse, Rave turned her attentions to the Caramel Malt.  She took her straw from the deceased Chocolate Malt, & put it in the Caramel Malt.  Then she turned to Natsumi.

"I will show you a quick way to finish a Malted Milk," Rave placed the Caramel Malt between them in the middle of the narrow table, "When I say 'Go', we both try to drink as much as we can."

Natsumi nodded happily.

"All right then…  GO!" Rave ordered.

They both went for their straws, quickly draining the Malt.

The shop owner sighed as she looked at the trio.  'School Friendships,' she thought, wistfully remembering her own friends, of so many years before…

It was a quick trip to Mazurka's after that.

Shakey opened the door to Mazurka's apartment, & waited politely for the girls to enter ahead of him.  Natsumi was awed by the overall size of Mazurka's apartment, not just the fact it had three bedrooms.

"Be back in a minute!" Shakey advised, before disappearing into his room & closing the door.

Natsumi stopped & stared when she saw the sign on Shakey's door.  She looked at the other apartment doors, then asked, "Which room is yours, Ms Imanonymous?"

"None," Rave replied, "I live elsewhere."

Natsumi seemed impressed by the information.

Shakey emerged shortly afterwards from his room, 'I don't know about the others, but I'm getting hungry…'

"Rave?  Ms Iwakawa?" Shakey announced as he headed towards the kitchen, "I'm making something to eat.  Fresh salad, & scrambled eggs all right with you?"

Rave nodded, Natsumi suddenly looked embarrassed.

"I'm making it for all of us," Shakey reassured her.

"…yes… please…" Natsumi mumbled in a small voice.

"Great!  I'll have it ready soon," Shakey disappeared into the kitchen.

Natsumi turned to Rave, "Is he always as friendly as this?"

"Yes," Rave smiled slightly, gazing towards the kitchen, "He is."

Natsumi noticed Rave's expression, & muttered knowingly, "…oh…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Questions.

Shakey toiled in Mazurka's kitchen, diligently applying his Masterly Skills to the topic of preparing an early supper for himself, Rave, & Natsumi.

Rave & Natsumi meanwhile, sat quietly on the couch in the Living Room.  Despite having wanted to talk to Rave, Natsumi had yet to say much of anything.

"Ms Imanonymous…" Natsumi finally ventured, "You beat them up…  Didn't you?"

"Yes," Rave admitted without pause.

"What did they do… to make you do that to them…"

"They slapped me."

Natsumi's eyes widened, "They only slapped you?"

Rave felt slightly embarrassed, "It was not that alone.  It was how they were acting.  They were armed & had assumed attack positions…"

Natsumi fell silent.

"What did they do to you?" Rave asked in return.

"They called me 'Nezumi' (Rat)  Pushed me over…  Th-threw my things in the bin…  They h-hit muh-me…" Natsumi sobbed incoherently, tears streaming down her face.

Rave gently hugged the girl, telling her quietly, "They won't hurt you again."

"Ah-are you sure?"

"The Commander was not happy with them," Rave replied cryptically…

"It's ready!" Shakey suddenly called from the kitchen.

Rave & Natsumi took a couple of minutes.  Shakey had looked questioningly in their direction when they hadn't promptly showed up at dinner table, but when he'd seen Natsumi crying, he'd scuttled back into the kitchen & dressed the table up with a tablecloth, & put out the good plates & cutlery.

When Natsumi had finally composed herself enough to go to the dining table, Shakey held the chair out for her, & helped her to seat herself.  Shakey gave both of his guests generous servings of the food.

It was all too much for Natsumi.  She sat quietly, not even daring to touch the cutlery.  "…thank you…" was all she could mumble.

Shakey was worried, 'I don't know what she's been through, but she's obviously not feeling too good…  I wonder if she's talked to Rave about it yet?'

Rave meanwhile, was calmly eating her share of the food on the table.  Seeing Rave eat, Natsumi picked up her fork & began to do likewise.  In no time at all, Natsumi had eaten everything on her plate.

Shakey noticed, "Would anyone else like more?" he tactfully asked.

"Yes," replied Rave, helping herself to another serving.

"…yes please…" echoed Natsumi, taking a smaller amount.

Between the lot of them, they didn't leave any for Mazurka…

Shakey cleared away the dishes, worrying that, 'It'll be getting dark soon…  Ms Iwakawa should be home by now…  I think we'd better ring her folks…'

"Ms Iwakawa?" Shakey asked, "Would you like to call your folks?"

Natsumi fidgeted in her seat, "That's not necessary…"

"It's getting late?" Shakey noted, immediately regretting his choice of words.  'Oh, NICE going!  She'll probably think I'm trying to get rid of her!'

Natsumi sighed, "It… doesn't matter…  I often get home later than this…"

"I mean," Shakey tried to correct any misinterpretation Natsumi may have had of his earlier statement, "Your parents will be getting worried about you…"

Natsumi looked at the floor, "No they won't…  My parents are dead…"

Shocked by the unexpected answer, Shakey couldn't help asking, "How?  When?"

"An earthquake," Natsumi answered quietly, "Soon after I was born…"

"I'm sorry," Shakey truly was, "I shouldn't have asked…"

"It's okay," Natsumi shrugged it off, "What about your parents?"

Shakey didn't look at her, "My Father's still alive, but… we don't talk much…"

Natsumi turned to Rave, "And you?"

A thoughtful look crossed Rave's face, "I do not know.  I never met them…"

"Huh…  You're just like me then…"

Rave didn't comment.

"Well," Shakey tried to make amends, "What about calling your Guardian?"

Natsumi shrugged, "That's my Aunt, mom's sister…  She won't be home from work yet…"

"Oh…" once again, Shakey had ended up with the feeling that he had both feet in his mouth…  To the knees…

Natsumi looked at the floor, "Still…  I'd better be getting home…  You were right, it is getting late…" She stood up & bowed politely to Shakey & Rave, "Thank You For Your Hospitality.  I enjoyed your cooking.  Thank you for listening to me."

Shakey blushed slightly, Rave just nodded.

"Would you like us to walk you home?" Shakey offered.

Natsumi almost giggled, "Thank you for offering, Mr Atari, but people might think we were on a date if you walked me home…  But… if it's not a bother…  Could you please walk me home, Ms Imanonymous?"

Rave nodded, & rose from her seat.

Soon after, Rave & Natsumi were walking down the darkened streets…

"Ms Imanonymous?" Natsumi asked timidly, "How did you meet?"

"Meet who?"

"Your boyfriend back there, Mr Atari?"

"Shakey… is not my boyfriend…"

"He's not?"

"No," murmured Rave, a slight smile on her face, "He is my best friend…"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No."

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, then asked, "You like him, though, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I do not know…"

"Would you like to have him as your boyfriend?"

"I…" Rave hesitated, "…could not expect that to happen."

"Why not?"

"He means as much to me, as he does to… many others…"

"Oh," sighed Natsumi, "So he's popular with the girls at school then?"

"I do not know."

Natsumi was confused, "But you said…?"

"He is popular with girls who know him as well as I do," clarified Rave, "I do not know if the girls at school, know him that well."

Natsumi puzzled that over.  Eventually she gave it up, & asked Rave another question, "Would you be upset, if he had a girlfriend, & it wasn't you?"

Rave answered quietly, "As long as he is happy…  I… would not mind…"

Natsumi smiled knowingly.

They walked off into the night…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - A Darkened House.

Rave & Natsumi stood in front of a multi-level apartment block, in one of the seedier suburbs of the City…

"Well, here we are," Natsumi tried to sound chirpy, "My home sweet home…  It doesn't look like much, but the rent's cheap…"

Rave looked at the building in front of her, silently appraising it.  It was obvious that the term 'cheap', didn't apply ONLY to the rent…

While the ten-storey building appeared structurally sound, it looked seedy & run-down.  What paintwork wasn't actually peeling, was just 'fading away'.  The brickwork was badly cracked, & sealer had been used in numerous places.  Plywood replaced the glass in many of the windows.  Other windowpanes were cracked.

Although it was worlds better than the dump Rave lived in, it was almost 'last resort' accommodation to those who could afford it…

"W-would you like to come up?" Natsumi asked nervously.

"Why?"

Natsumi looked at the ground, "I w-wanted to repay your hospitality…"

Rave paused, as Mazurka's comments about Rave's apartment ran through her mind, '…this place is not what I consider adequate accommodation…'  And how Shakey replied '…anyplace better than this…' when Rave had sought clarification of acceptable accommodation standards.

Rave thought the offer over, 'I have seen Mazurka's apartment, it is different to ours.  The apartments next to the Secure Facility are different again.  Seeing Ms Iwakawa's apartment will help me establish what standards apply to accommodation…'

"Yes."

Natsumi was surprised, "You will?"

"Yes, Ms Iwakawa.  I will visit your home."

Expressions of relief, pride & happiness flowed over Natsumi's face, "This way, Please!"

There was no elevator in the building, so Rave followed Natsumi up the stairs.  All the way to the top floor…

"The rent's cheapest up here," explained Natsumi, "Because people don't want to walk up all those stairs…"

Natsumi unlocked the door to her apartment, & reached in & turned the light on.  She turned to Rave & bowed slightly, "Please, After You."

Rave entered the apartment, & took her shoes off, then looked around…

There wasn't much to the apartment.  Although larger than Rave's apartment, it was far smaller than Mazurka's.  The door opened onto a short hallway.  On the immediate right was a kitchen bench with a small sink, two burner stove, & small fridge.  On the immediate left, was a wall with a sliding door in it.  A curtain was across the far end of the short hallway.

"That's my room on the left," Natsumi explained, "The curtain at the end, is sort of my Aunt's bedroom…"

"Where is the bathroom?" asked Rave.

Natsumi looked embarrassed, "They're beside the stairwell…  We share them with the neighbours…  The laundry's on the ground floor."

Rave nodded.  She found the set up acceptable, especially as the communal facilities mimicked what the Clones had in their secure building.

"Anyway, this is my room," Natsumi slid open the door.

Rave looked inside.  The room was smaller than Mazurka's bathroom.  The Tatami (sea-grass) mats were worn through in places.  A faded curtain partitioned one end of the room.  Just inside the door, a small desk held up a lop-sided bookcase full of dog-eared textbooks & old novels.  Apart from a chair & dented floor lamp beside the desk, there was no other furniture.

"Where do you sleep?" asked Rave.

Natsumi swept aside the curtain to reveal a makeshift closet with shelving made from packing boxes.  A pile of bedding was neatly rolled up inside.

"I use a futon," Natsumi explained, "It saves on space…"

Rave stared at the few possessions Natsumi had in her 'closet'.  Two sets of badly worn & faded school uniforms on hangers…  Very few other clothes…  A tattered toy bear, with threadbare blue fur…

"That's Kuma (Bear)," Natsumi explained, "Mum & Dad were hoping for a boy…"

"I do not understand?"

Natsumi shrugged, "Parents usually prefer their first child to be a boy…  That way any younger children have a 'big brother' to protect & care for them…"

Rave considered this.

"Ms Imanonymous," Natsumi nervously began, "I just wanted you to know how much we all appreciate, what you did, when you took care of those bullies…"

"We?" asked Rave, looking at the girl.

"They'd been bullying a lot of people," Natsumi clarified, "Not just me…  Most of the younger students had trouble with them…  One way or another…"

"Did you tell the teachers?"

Natsumi looked frightened, "We didn't dare!  They made threats…  That w-whoever told about them, would… they… w-would…" Natsumi started crying again.

Rave reached out, & gently cradled the younger girl in her arms, trying to comfort Natsumi in the only way Rave knew.

"You should have told someone," Rave said quietly, "Other people may not realise you need help, unless you tell them."

"I'm suh-sorry," Natsumi sobbed, "I was t-too scared…"

"They made you afraid," Rave applied standard tactical analysis, "Then they used your fear against you."

"You m-must think I'm a c-coward…"

"No."

"W-were you afraid of them?"

"No."

"Then c-compared to you, I am a c-coward…"

"No.  I was not afraid of them, because I am trained in self-defence.  Did you have such training?"

Natsumi didn't speak, she just shook her head against Rave's shoulder.

"They were dangerous," Rave stressed, "Your fear of them was natural…"

The close physical contact between the two of them caused Rave to realise several things.  To start with, just how small & frail Natsumi really was…

Rave estimated the 'Threat Factor' of the girl.  It wasn't much.  Certainly less than Shakey, let alone any of the Senior Gang.  Rave frowned as she estimated Shakey's 'Threat Factor', & the possible outcomes if Shakey had been attacked by the gang, instead of Rave.

'He would not have been able to defend himself against them,' Rave realised, 'He would have been hurt…  Like Natsumi was…'

The sudden realisation of how Shakey & Natsumi were similar, made Rave aware of a strangely familiar emotion that was growing in her.

'This feeling,' Rave wondered, 'It is similar to how we felt when we saw Shakey wounded, or in Hospital…  Why do I feel like this now?'

Rave puzzled over it.  The feeling didn't go away, it just stayed there.  Rave tried to analyse why she felt that way…

'We felt like this when we were concerned for Shakey's health & well-being…  Am I now concerned for Ms Iwakawa's health & well-being?  Why?'

Rave didn't fully understand the situation, let alone how she should react, so she just stood there, cradling Natsumi in her arms, as the girl calmed down.  Eventually, Natsumi stopped crying.  She leaned against Rave, her head on Rave's shoulder, & her eyes closed.

Rave murmured, "Are you feeling better now?"

"…yes…" Natsumi whispered, "…thank you…"

'She is emotionally upset,' Rave observed, 'Like Shakey was that time…  NERVIS put him in Hospital for observation then.  She is not NERVIS personnel, so they will not care for her…  I do not know about the Local Hospital…'

Rave skimmed through what Medical training she had recommended for such cases, eventually deciding that, 'She should not be left alone…  If I leave her alone, she may fail to take proper care of herself…  It would be best if I stayed with her until her Aunt arrives.  That is, if she wants me to…'

"When will your aunt be back?" Rave asked.

Natsumi looked at her watch before snuffling, "…about an hour…"

"Would you like me to stay until your Aunt arrives?" Rave offered.

"…please…" Natsumi said in a small voice.

"Then I will stay," Rave confirmed, "Would you like help with your homework?"

"…yes… please…"

Rave released Natsumi, & sat on the floor.  Natsumi got her schoolbooks, then sat next to Rave.

They were soon engrossed in Homework…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Similar Differences.

An hour & seven minutes after Rave decided to stay with Natsumi, the door to the apartment opened, & a woman entered…

She was in her late thirties, & was dressed in the generic uniform of a cleaning woman.  A checked bandana covered her head, but wisps of black & grey hairs peeked out.  Her skin was darker than Natsumi's, & her middle-aged face was drawn & tired looking.

"Auntie Hatsuko!" Natsumi called out as she slid open the door to her room.

Hatsuko Iwakawa smiled as she saw how cheerful her niece was, 'Looks like she's over what was troubling her…'

Hatsuko's smile froze on her face, as she saw the odd person sitting in Natsumi's room.  She couldn't help but note the exceptionally pale skin, let alone the unkempt mass of blue hair, or the red eyes.

Hatsuko was caught off-balance by the unexpected discovery, 'Blue hair, white skin…  Is she a Punk, or a Goth?'

"Natsumi dear," Hatsuko asked politely, "Did you bring a friend over?"

"Oh!  Sorry," Natsumi meekly apologised, "Auntie Hatsuko, please meet Ms Rave Imanonymous.  Ms Imanonymous, please meet my aunt, Ms Hatsuko Iwakawa.

"I Am Pleased To Meet You, Ms Iwakawa," Rave formally replied.

Hatsuko hesitated slightly before answering, "I'm Pleased To Meet You, Ms Imanonymous.  Would you like something to eat, or drink?"

"No," answered Rave, "I ate before coming over."

"You should have seen the meal," enthused Natsumi, "Mr Atari made it for us…"

"Mr Atari?" Hatsuko was lost again.

"He's her classmate.  He lives with their Guardian!"

'Ah,' the light dawned on Hatsuko, 'School friends!  Nice of them to invite Natsumi to dine with them…'

"Ms Imanonymous," Hatsuko began, "Please pass my thanks on to Mr Atari.  I hope it wasn't a bother."

Rave replied with, "It was not a bother.  Shakey often cooks for others…"

"Oh?" Hatsuko's interest was piqued, "You often have visitors at your home?"

"Not at mine.  At Mazurka's."

Hatsuko lost the plot again.  Natsumi came to her rescue, "Ms Imanonymous doesn't live with Mr Atari & Ms Mazurka, she lives in her own apartment."

Rave clarified, "Shakey lives with our mutual Guardian.  I do not."

Hatsuko nodded, "Have you called your Guardian to tell them where you are?"

"That is not necessary."

"But how will you get home?  It's very late!"

"I will walk."

"But the streets can be dangerous for a young lady this time of night…"

"I will be safe."

"She's right Auntie!" Natsumi beamed, "She's strong & tough!"

Hatsuko looked Rave over, thinking, 'Natsumi says she's 'tough'…  Well, the girl is 'presentable', & polite enough.  Regardless of which 'street tribe' she is…'

"Have you told her?" Rave suddenly asked Natsumi.

Natsumi immediately went silent, & looked at the floor.

Alarm bells began ringing in Hatsuko's mind "Told me what?  Natsumi?"

Natsumi started crying again, "I w-was going t-to tell you…"

"Let me tell her," Rave put a comforting hand on the young girl's shoulder.  When Natsumi nodded, Rave faced Hatsuko & stated, "Ms Iwakawa.  Your niece was bullied by some older male students.  She was not their only victim.  The bullies have since been stopped."

"HOW?" demanded Hatsuko, fury on her face, "Did the Police take them away?"

"No," Rave calmly replied, "Ambulance.  One of their victims fought back."

"Good Lord!" Hatsuko was appalled, "And that victim?  How're they?"

"I am fine, thank you," Rave's reply was much to Hatsuko's surprise.

"She fought them, & beat them up!" Natsumi offered, "All six of them!"

Hatsuko was dumbfounded, "D-did you press charges against them?"

"No."

"Well you should," Hatsuko lectured, "Otherwise they might cause trouble for you in the future…"

"They will not cause any more trouble," Raves said with certainty.

"Did the Police say that?" Hatsuko's knowledge of how the world worked, wouldn't let her dare hope without concrete proof.

"No."

"Dear!" Hatsuko shook her head at the naivety of the blue-haired girl's answer, "It's always best to be sure in cases like these!  Some of these bullies are too full of themselves, you give them an inch of slack, & they'll strangle you with it!  You can still have the Police check the Hospital admission records & charge them.  Which Hospital did the Ambulance come from?"

"NERVIS," Rave stated truthfully.

Hatsuko's eyes widened in fear & realisation, "NERVIS?  Why on earth would THEY get involved with a bunch of High School bullies?"

"I cannot say," Rave said as truthfully as the Official Secrets Act would allow.

"Huh…" harrumphed Hatsuko, "They must have trod on the wrong people for NERVIS to get involved…  I think you're right…  Those boys WON'T be any more trouble!"

"It is getting late," Rave noted, "I should be going."

"Are you sure you don't want me to call your Guardian so they can pick you up?" Hatsuko's offer was accompanied by a look of worry on her face, "There are some bad people out on the streets after dark, no matter what the Officials say…"

"No.  I will be fine," Rave assured, "There are others who… watch out for me…"

Hatsuko accepted the comment, 'So!  She IS one of the Street Tribes…'

"Thanks for helping me with my homework, & everything," Natsumi was back to being the cheery happy child she always should have been.

"Thank you for helping my niece, Ms Imanonymous," Hatsuko was genuinely grateful to the blue-haired stranger, Street Tribe member or not.

The heart-felt warmth in their words surprised Rave.  Another wave of emotion passed through her.

Rave pondered the feelings, 'Their words make me feel the way we do when the Commander praises us…  Or when Shakey praises us…'

"It… was not a problem," Rave blushed slightly, as she turned for the door.

"See you at school tomorrow!"  Natsumi sang out as the door closed behind Rave.

Outside, Rave walked home.  Alone…

Across the street from Natsumi's apartment, shadows shifted in a parked car as a Security detail reported on Rave's current whereabouts.

Rave walked along the street, never slowing, never stopping.  She walked straight & true, a direct route towards her apartment.  She walked along well-lit streets with other people, & down dark alleys, alone.  She seemed oblivious to the presence or lack, of light & other people.

Rave stopped outside her own apartment building.  For long minutes, she stared at the building in silence, comparing it to the one she had just walked from, & the one she had been in before that.

The state of Mazurka's apartment, spoke of people able to afford a comfortable standard of living.  The happy chaos within, spoke of people who lived their lives as they more or less wanted to, while they still could…

The state of Natsumi's apartment, spoke of bleak poverty & people struggling to live from day to day.  The tidiness, & the cleanliness of Natsumi's apartment, spoke of proud spirits, striving to rise above their current state…

Rave wasn't sure what her apartment said about her, or her life.

Her observations finished, Rave disappeared silently into the shadows…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Report.

It had been another long day, & Rave was looking forward to bed.  As was her established custom, she did her homework, had a late supper, & showered before going to bed.

Rave lay in bed, thinking over the events of the day.

Then she 'sent' to the other Clones.

Clone #67, making report of the day

As per Commander Atari's orders, I impersonated Rave#3 at school

I met Shakey in the Hallway outside class… He did not realise I was not Rave#3

I believe the bandage on my hand helped my disguise, as he expected to see it

Shakey had overslept.  Dancing with us had overtired him

He was late getting to school, & got Hallway detention

He did not hold his situation against us, although we were partly at fault

He told me his detention was no big deal…

He said he enjoyed dancing with us

He said he would dance with the rest of us, but that it will take time

Clone #67 frowned.

I had some difficulties when referring to Rave#3's actions as being 'my' own

This is a flaw we need to be aware of

Other rumours may be circulating, based on the fight we had last week

I tried to stop them, by telling the truth about the incident

Shakey was worried that I might be upset by others telling me about rumours

I told him I was not upset

The ones we fought, have hurt others at school

One of their victims, was Natsumi Iwakawa, a girl younger than ourselves

She sent me E-Mail messages, I replied

Shakey & I met Ms Iwakawa after school

She was upset, I comforted her as Shakey did Rave#3

When Shakey tried to comfort Ms Iwakawa, she seemed frightened of him

Shakey bought two Malted Milks on the way home

He shared a chocolate one with me.  Ms Iwakawa shared a caramel one with me

Shakey made supper for us.  Scrambled eggs & fresh salad

Shakey asked Ms Iwakawa about her parents, she has none

Ms Iwakawa asked me about my parents

I know what the First & Second Rave knew, but I have no memory of parents

I told her I had never met them

Where did we Clones come from?

Do we Clones have parents?

Is the Genetic Donor we are Cloned from, our parent?

Or… Is our Genetic Donor, merely an older version of ourselves?

Are the parents of our Genetic Donor, our parents?

None of the Clones shed any enlightenment on the puzzle.

I walked Ms Iwakawa home

She thought Shakey was my boyfriend…

I told her he was not my boyfriend

She asked me if I liked him, I replied yes

She asked me if he had a girlfriend…  I told her I did not know…

She asked me if I wanted him as my boyfriend…

I was not sure how to answer…

I am one, but all of us like Shakey as much as I do…

Does he like all of us as much as he does any one of us?

Can we all have Shakey as our boyfriend?

But…  Can a boy be a boyfriend, to more than one girl?

Can only one of us have Shakey as our boyfriend?

She asked me how I would feel if Shakey had someone else as a girlfriend

I was not sure how to answer…  I… enjoy… being near him…

But, will I still feel the same, if he has another girl for his girlfriend?

I do not know if Shakey would want any of us as a girlfriend…

I told MS Iwakawa…  That as long as Shakey was happy…  I would not mind…

If another girl will make him happy…  I… will not intervene…

I want him to be happy…

I saw the place Ms Iwakawa calls 'home, sweet home'

She invited me inside

It is larger than the Apartment of Rave#3, yet smaller than Mazurka's

It shares bathroom & toilet with others in the building

They have little furniture, but make efficient use of space

Ms Iwakawa has few possessions, many are old & worn

She has a toy bear named Kuma.  It has blue fur

She told me that others had been hurt by those Rave#3 fought

She told me she & the others were afraid of the Senior Gang

She thought she was a coward, a failure, because she felt fear

I tried to explain to her that fear was a natural reaction to danger

She was upset.  I tried to comfort her

When I comforted her…

I felt… strange…

Like… when we have watched over Shakey…

Why did I feel this way?

Are we supposed to… care… for those weaker than ourselves?

Or should we only care for a friend?

Mazurka said, a friend will care for another…

Was I being a friend to Ms Iwakawa?

Are we friends now?

We must ask Mazurka about this…

I helped Ms Iwakawa with her homework

I met her aunt, Ms Hatsuko Iwakawa

Ms N-Iwakawa was too upset to tell her Aunt about the Senior Gang

I told Ms H-Iwakawa about them

They thanked me for helping them…

I felt… strange… hearing them thank me…

Feeling like that, was… agreeable…

Like when the Commander, or Shakey praises us…

Is that what it is like…  To be… appreciated… by others?

Ms H-Iwakawa was concerned for my safety…

Ms N-Iwakawa told her not to worry…  That I am 'strong & tough'…

I told them there were… others… who watched out for me…

As I walked home, I saw the unmarked Security cars shadow me…

…

The Iwakawa's apartment is different to ours…  Not just in size, or layout…

They live there…  But not as any Rave has lived anywhere

They fill their apartment with their lives…

Like Mazurka…  Like Shakey…

Even when they are not there…  You can feel their presence…

The fact of their existence…

Unlike ourselves…

I do not know how else to describe it

Perhaps my memories will better describe the sensation…

Clone #67 merged with the Group Mind in an attempt to fully express her thoughts & feelings.  In the process, she fully 'uploaded' all of her Scholastic learning of the day.  In return, she learnt what the others had done that day.

Afterwards, Clone #67 fell into a deep sleep…

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 7 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3…

Glando sat silently, as if in deep thought.  Suddenly he spoke, giving the order, "Change the Simulation Data to mimic Unit Won."

The results were almost immediate.  Alarms began sounding, & computer readouts lit up with urgent warning messages.  The Test Unit systems began violently rejecting the attempts of the Clones to 'link' with them.

Explosive bolts blew, completely severing all cybernetic linkages to the Test Units.  The Test Units powered down, their escape hatches opening automatically.

…Or would have, if the units hadn't suddenly exploded in a large puff of smoke…

The three Clones staggered out of the flaming wreckage.

By a curious set of Physical Laws only applicable in works of Fiction, all three of them were liberally coated in soot, & their blue hair had frizzed out.

…It was very reminiscent of the scene in 'Young Einstein', by Yahoo Serious…

Glando took one look, & burst out laughing…

"What do you reckon?" Glando jokingly asked Fu2ok, "If Aesir was here, would she call them Dolls?  Or Golliwogs!"

Unfortunately for Glando, the Clones heard his piggishly insensitive remark.  His demise was Unnecessarily Painful…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Results.

Fu2ok narrowed his eyes, "Do you know something I don't?"

Glando couldn't help himself, he laughed his guts out.

"D-do I know s-something you don't?" Glando wheezed, out of breath from laughing so hard, "Little old Me?  The Mysterious Evil B------D In Charge?"

Fu2ok started laughing as well…

Naturally, the scene had to be redone…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Gossip.

Moccona playfully shook a finger at Mayi, "You only have to deal with them one at a time…  Think how Major Kutsarug must feel, having to deal with them all at once!"

"Don't say things like that!" Mayi moaned & put her head back in her hands, "How do you think I feel, doing their physical exams?  Talk about déjà vu…"

"Don't worry," Moccona asserted reassuringly, "You can take it!"

"Yeah," agreed Uhoh, "If Mazurka can handle seeing so many Raves, so can you!"

Much later…

'I am NOT losing my sanity…' Mayi repeated the Mantra over & over to herself, trying to shake off a killer case of déjà vu as Clone #57 got dressed after a full medical exam, 'They are NOT the same girl…'

"Could you please do me a favour?" Mayi asked the Clone in the examination room, "Tell the ones waiting outside that I'm taking a ten minute break?"

"Yes."

Mayi gladly took a coffee break.  Her brief respite was broken by a knock at the door behind her.  Mayi groaned, & ran through the mental checklist she'd had to create to keep her sanity & the medical records intact…

"Right!" Mayi commanded in no-nonsense tones, not bothering to look at the Clone, "Clothes OFF!  Lie on the table, & put your feet in the stirrups.  I'll be right with you."

There was a pause, & then a rustle of cloth & the squeak of a body positioning itself on the examination table.

Mayi snapped a fresh set of rubber gloves on, & took a medical dilator from the autoclave.  Satisfied it was cool enough to use, she spread some lubricant on it & turned around.

And stopped dead in her tracks…

"Shakey?" squeaked Mayi, turning tomato red, "What are YOU doing here?"

NOTE!  If any Male Reader doesn't know what I'm talking about above…  Please consult one of the Ladies in your life…  I'm sure they can tell you…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Bad News.

"Rave…" Glando said slowly, "…We need to run more tests…  For security reasons, I want you to remain in this facility until they are finished.  The tests may take several days."

Rave tensed slightly.

Glando noticed her reaction, "Don't worry about missing School.  One of the other Clones will stand in for you."

"Yes Sir."

Glando smiled, "I'm sure they'll keep you up to date…"

Rave scowled, thinking, 'It's not school I'm worried about…  My dear 'sister' will probably try to 'make time' with MY Shakey…  The B---H!'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Hallway.

After a few minutes, a puzzled Shakey asked, "Aren't you going into class?"

Rave blushed slightly, "No.  My late arrival would disrupt the other students.  I will… wait here… until the lunch break."

Rave stood beside Shakey in the hallway, waiting for the lunch bell…

Rave#3 had been right!  Her Sister Clone WAS trying to 'make time' with Shakey…

Although, given the social inexperience of the Clones, it was currently limited to enjoying a deep & meaningful 'feeling of togetherness', as the Clone stood with Shakey in the hallway…

But hey!  That's 'Quality Time' for you…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Academy?

Mazurka sweat-dropped as she tried to visualise Glando sitting down & having a Manly  'Father-to-Son' talk with Shakey about the 'Facts of Life'…

Shakey: "Father?  Why did you send for me?"

Glando: "Because I need to tell you the facts of life!"

Shakey: "Huh?"

Glando: "The show's ratings are falling, & it appears the only way to boost them, is for you to look & act more like a 'Man', & become a 'Bishounen Hunk'…"

NOTE #1 Bishounen Hunk - 'Good Looking' Guy.  Usually have long flowing hair, effeminate features.  Their personalities are often soft, gentle, romantic, caring & sensitive to the needs of others.  Always treat women like Ladies.  A real 'Ladies Man'…  OR just a Gorgeous Guy that all the girl viewers like to swoon over…

Shakey: "But… there's no way!  I just can't do that!"

Glando: "You only have to strike poses & look good.  Not be the real thing."

Shakey: "But still!  There's no way!  I mean, my hair isn't long enough, I'm not tall enough, my body's the wrong shape, my voice is too whiny…"

Glando: "All of that, can be taken care of with surgery!"

Shakey: "But I don't WANT to have long hair that floats like gossamer on a summer breeze whenever I move my head!"

Glando: "It'll mean a bigger pay check?"

Shakey: "But I don't WANT to look really soft & effeminate!"

Glando: "It'll attract the chicks?"

Shakey: "But I don't WANT to attract the chicks!  I'm only 15, I'm too insecure to have any sort of relationship, & too honest to delude myself that I can!"

The Fan Fiction Writer felt he needed to clarify Glando's current state of mind, in order for this OMAKE to make sense…

Due to having spent a REALLY late night refining his schemes, Glando was too tired to fully comprehend, let alone appreciate, what Shakey had just said…

'He doesn't WANT to attract the chicks?' thought Glando, misinterpreting what his 'Sensitive New Age Geek' of a son just said.

Glando: "…" nervously sweating bullets.

Shakey: whispering, "Psst…  Father?  Have you forgotten your lines again?"

Glando: "In that case…  Leave!"

Shakey left Glando's office, leaving a rather worried Glando to ponder what he could do now.

'…doesn't WANT to attract chicks?' Glando was REALLY worried, 'S--T!!   Aesir & the Clones better not find out…'

Glando sighed deeply, 'It'd be even harder trying to turn Kantsee into a Bishounen Hunk…  Looks like I'll have to order one in then…  D--N!!  I was hoping to save money by using existing cast too…  Hmmm…  Better order a few of them…  Just in case the Clones get upset by Shakey's 'attitude'…'

Glando picked up his phone & made a call.

"Hello?  Is that the 'Strangely Named & Totally Fictitious' Agency that supplies AVE Pilots?  It is?  OH GOOD!  Listen, this is Glando Atari, Commander of NERVIS…  I'm just ringing to find out who you're sending us next…"

Glando listened, his face falling, "An Author Created Character?  Oh great…  How badly are they screwed up this time?"

Glando went pale, as the full horror of what was to come was unleashed upon him!

"SWEET CACTUS!!" Glando screamed in terror, "Please tell me you're joking!?"

NOTE #2 Author Created Characters - ACC for short.  Often turn out hilariously **BAD** in their roles, but usually much better than the Self-Insert Character.  The SIC, or SI, is usually a thinly disguised 'alter-ego' of the author, or at least, what the author wishes they were really like…  Naturally, ACC's & SI's tend to be better looking than any Hollywood Star, a better fighter than Bruce Lee, more adventurous than Indiana Jones & James Bond combined, smarter than Einstein…  Etc…  And of course!  They ALWAYS get the girl/guy!

"Uh…  I mean…  We really don't NEED another gorgeous young teenage girl on this show…  Especially not if she's going to develop an ENORMOUS crush on Shakey…"

"Why?" Glando began to sweat, "Err…  Because we've got enough problems keeping Rave & Aesir from each other's throats as it is!"

"Yes!  I am referring to Aesir's comments in THAT episode…  You didn't see the Catfight that resulted!  It took 'Makeup' hours to hide the bruises!"

"Are you SURE you don't have any 'Bishounen Hunks' available?"

"All taken by 'Gundam Wing' huh?  DAMN!"

"What's that?  NO!!  I DON'T want to substitute her for a 'Magic Girl'!"

"NO!!!  I DON'T want a 'Cute Pet Mascot' either!  Knowing my luck, you B-----Ds would send me Ryo-Ohki from the 'I love Tenchi' episode of Tenchi Muyo!"

NOTE #3 Gundam Wing - ALL of the Pilots were young males.  Boys watched it for the Action, Girls watched it for the Bishounen Hunks…

NOTE #4 Magic Girl - Teenage (or younger) girl, who has the magic power to turn into a Costumed Avenger.  Sailor Moon is one of the MOST successful & well known of the 'Magic Girl' shows…  Often have a 'cute & fluffy' Pet or Mascot…

NOTE #5 Ryo-Ohki - Character from 'Tenchi Muyo'.  Looks like a cross between a cat & a rabbit.  Small, soft, cute & fluffy…  And able to turn into a Spaceship that can Destroy Planets…  Can assume two 'humanoid female' forms as well…  Yes, 'she' DOES fall in love with the male lead…  In the 'I love Tenchi' episode, she gains the ability to turn into a reasonable copy of an Adult Human female…

Glando paused to listen, "Look!!  If you can't supply us with a 'Bishounen Hunk', then we really can't do business.  If you can find one for me, call me back.  If not, don't bother!  I'll get one elsewhere!  Good day!"

With that, Glando slammed down the receiver.  For the next few hours, Glando tried every casting agency he could find…

All to no avail…

It seemed that ALL of the available Bishounen Hunks had been contracted.  The last remaining 'Babe Magnets', had been grabbed by a Ladies Manga Group.

Glando sat at his desk, brooding enigmatically, thinking dark thoughts, & making darker plans, refusing to admit defeat…

Eventually he sighed in resignation, & made another phone call.

The Fan Fiction Writer decided to dispel some of the Mysteries of the TV series…

"Fu2ok?  Listen, we're in a plot bind.  Send us up one of the Rave Clones…"

"No…  Bandages are optional…  Although…  It might not hurt to send one of the injured…  We may be doing a hospital scene later…  We can save on costs…"

Shortly afterwards, one of the seriously injured Rave Clones was in Glando's office, sitting in a motorised wheelchair.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?" her soft voice asked.

"Correct," stated Glando, in his usual mysterious manner, "We need a 'Bishounen Hunk' to star as the Fifth Pilot.  I was wondering if you'd like to be him."

The Clone blinked, "Ah, Sir?  I'm a Girl…"

"So?" said Glando dismissively, "That didn't stop Rumiko Takahashi-sama from making that cross-dressing character when she did 'Urusei Yatsura'…"

"Do I just wear boys clothes, or does it have to be 'physical'?" the Clone asked dryly, thinking of Ms Takahashi's 'Gender Reassignment' work, 'Ranma 1/2'.

NOTE #6 Gender Reassignment, Rumiko Takahashi-sama, Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2.  Gender Reassignment happens QUITE a lot in Anime/Manga.  Used mostly for humour, or to make a point about gender related social problems.  Ms Takahashi is one of the most popular of all the Manga Creators.  In the story Urusei Yatsura (Those Obnoxious Aliens), there is a lady who dresses as a male.  In the story Ranma 1/2, the male lead has a curse, which turns him into a girl whenever he gets soaked with cold water…

"Actually…" Glando asked hesitantly, "Since you mention it…  Would you consider… 'Plastic Surgery'…"

The furious Clone suddenly leapt out of her wheelchair, & lunged across the table.  Her good hand grabbed Glando by the throat & began to squeeze…

"Listen Four-Eyes!" the Clone snarled menacingly, "There's 137 of me & my sisters, & only **ONE** decent guy in this show!  Do you honestly expect me to give up what SMALL chance I've got, of having *ANY* 'Quality Time' with Shakey?"

"You'll-get-Quality-Time-with-him" wheezed Glando, knowing the Clone was going to do to him, what the Doppelganger system did to Toe-Jam's AVE **THAT** time…

The Clone stopped snarling, "What sort of scenes are we talking about?"

"We can adjust the script some…" squeaked Glando, knowing he wasn't out of danger yet, "What sort of scenes would you like with him?"

"Romantic Ones!" demanded the Clone, before pushing for as much as she could get, "Meeting him at Sunset…  Dinner…  Talking…  Sleep Over…  And if I'm going to have 'that' sort of surgery…  A Shower Scene!"

"Certainly," agreed Glando.

"DEAL!" shouted the Clone, releasing Glando's throat.

Weeks later, a famous first meeting occurred…

"Same Red Eyes, we are alike…" said the Fifth Pilot, & token 'Bishounen Hunk'.

"Identify yourself," Rave challenged …

The following is the bit that didn't make it into the TV series…

Kowmoo gave Rave a Cryptic Smile, while 'sending', Psst!  Sister!  It's me!

Rave blinked in surprise, You're one of US?

Nod, Yeah!  A change of clothes, a cheap dye job, a little plastic surgery…

Widened Eyes, A 'little' plastic surgery?!  You're a GUY for crying out loud!!

Shrug, Eh…  It's a job…

Perplexed Look, Why did you agree to this?

Smug Look, 'Quality-Time Scenes' with Shakey, done *MY* way…

Look of Envy, YOU LUCKY B---H!!

Extremely Smug Look, Don't worry, I'll give you **ALL** the details later!

'Later' Be D----D! sent ALL of the Clones at once, We Want 'Live-Eye'!

Fine by me!  But Please, do us ALL a favour, & keep Aesir away, will you?

DEAL!!

Mazurka blinked as she woke up from her 'rather strange' dream.

"That's the last time I'm making Aesir's Sauerkraut," she belched.

The Fan Fiction Writer hopes this settles the debate over the True Origins, & Personal Inclinations of 'Kowmoo' towards Shakey…

…As well as why Kowmoo 'took a fall' in his last big scene…

…Not to mention why Aesir & Unit Too had the LIVING C--P stomped out of them by the 'Kowmoo' controlled AVE's in the Movie…

…Or why the same AVE's didn't 'trash' Unit Won & Shakey…

…And why Rave was able to take over the 'Kowmoo' AVE's so easily…

…Not to mention WHY Kowmoo & Shakey had all of those 'Male Bonding' scenes in the first place…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Lunch.

"You should not spread rumours," Rave said in a deadpan monotone, "They can result in people getting hurt…  Know what I mean, Sunshine?"

The scared student nodded vigorously, tears in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Rave softly sneered, "It's nothing personal, but I feel a need to make an 'example' for the others…"

For several minutes, Rave beat the LIVING C--P out of the hapless student.

Rave finally released him.  She looked at the other students around her, "Does anyone else, want to ask questions about any rumours they may have heard?"

The cowed students remained silent.  Getting no more questions, Rave walked off.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Thanks.

Rave's terminal suddenly started flashing with a 'New Mail' icon.

The fact the message arrived during class, meant it probably wasn't an official school message.  The school tried to save computer-processing costs by 'bulk-posting' official messages after hours, & during lunch.

Curious, Rave activated the mail program.  As she suspected, the single e-mail on her machine wasn't 'official'…

The message began, "Your mission, should you choose to accept…"

Rave sighed.  Once again, she'd have to be absent from school for a few days…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Trust.

"What's your favourite flavour?" Shakey gently asked.

"Caramel," Natsumi shyly admitted.

Shakey turned to Rave, "Chocolate all right with you Rave?"

"Martini," replied Rave, "Shaken, not stirred…"

"Huh?" asked Shakey, clearly confused…

"Sorry," replied Rave, "I'm still feeling the after effects of the previous OMAKE…  Chocolate will be fine…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Questions.

"It's okay," Natsumi shrugged it off, "What about your parents?"

Shakey didn't look at her, "My Father's still alive, but… we don't talk much…"

Natsumi turned to Rave, "And you?"

A thoughtful look crossed Rave's face, "I do not know.  I never met them…"

"Huh…  You're just like me then…"

Rave frowned slightly, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinised Natsumi's face.

"Identify yourself," Rave challenged…

Natsumi replied by exhibiting an E.T. Field…

Rave leapt nimbly from the couch, striking a battle-ready pose.  She activated her own E.T. Field, & turned it into a weapon.

"There can BE, only ONE!" both girls growled simultaneously.

Shakey blinked in horrified surprise.  "Oh NO!" he groaned, "Not another OMAKE like the one for 'Duet'!"

Rave survived the resulting battle, Mazurka's apartment & Natsumi didn't.

It was just as well Rave survived, because it meant Shakey had someone to help him clean up the mess before he went back to the 'Sanatorium'…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Similar Differences.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call your Guardian so they can pick you up?" Hatsuko's offer was accompanied by a look of worry on her face, "There are some bad people out on the streets after dark, no matter what the Officials say…"

"No.  I will be fine," Rave assured, "There are others who… watch out for me…"

Hatsuko accepted the comment, 'So!  She IS one of the Street Tribes…'

Outside, Rave walked home.  Alone…

Rave walked along the street, never slowing, never stopping.  She walked straight & true, a direct route towards her apartment.  She walked along well-lit streets with other people, & down dark alleys, alone.  She seemed oblivious to the presence or lack, of light & other people.

As she walked down one dark alley, shadows shifted, then followed her…

Rave suddenly found herself confronted by a pack of thugs…

"Well now?" leered the leader, "What do we have here?  Some sweet young thing is using our 'Toll Road', without having paid the toll?  What should we do, boys?"

No reply came to the leader's words.  He looked around, only to find that his henchmen were all lying on the ground, small darts sticking out of their bodies.  A unexpected blow to his stomach knocked the wind out of his lungs, & doubled him over on the ground.

In a flash, Rave was kneeling beside him.  One of her arms wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms against him.  Her other arm cradled his head, forcing it back to expose his neck.  Despite the thug's greater size, & musculature, his struggles couldn't break free of the young girl who held him.

Rave smiled slowly.  Her smile turned into a grin showing her teeth.  Then her mouth opened wider than any normal humans could, & the terrified thug could see the gleaming fangs.

The thug's scream of terror was muffled as Rave bit his throat out.  She drank hungrily from the pulsing geyser of blood that erupted from the torn flesh.

The nearby Security sniper reported on Rave's current feeding, & requested a van to come pick up some supplies for the Clones' 'Meat Locker'…

The Clones might not eat meat, but fresh blood was another matter…

NOTE! Red eyes & Pale skin are signs of the Vampire.  It helps if you've read Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot', & Anne Rice's 'Vampire' series…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Report.

Rave lay in bed, thinking over the events of the day.

Then she 'sent' to the other Clones.

Clone #67, making report of the day

ABOUT B----Y TIME!! the other Clones mentally yelled at her.

Sorry…  I'll give you my report now…

As per Commander Atari's orders, I impersonated Rave#3 at school

Don't bother with the trivial C--P!  Get to the good bits about Shakey!

Huh?  Oh well, in that case…

I met Shakey at school, & we shared a 'Kodak Moment' in the Hallway  Typical 'soft-focus' romantic camera shot, with Cherry Blossom petals spinning past…

!Complete Attention!

He looked SO Cute & Manly, standing there with buckets in his hands!  An image of Shakey dressed in his usual clothes, but straining them at the seams, as it appears he's acquired fifty extra pounds of pure muscle, & has turned into a Bishounen Hunk to boot…  Think of a teenaged Japanese 'Fabio'…

!Heartfelt sigh!

The dear boy had lunch with me…  Image of romantic candle lit dining for two in the empty classroom…

You Lucky B---H!  !Envious Attitude!

After school, we went back to HIS place for dinner…  We stopped off for drinks along the way…

Where?

Oh…  Just some intimate little restaurant he knew of…  Image of secluded corner table, low lights, & some fat git in a strange outfit prancing around trying to play the violin, while clenching a rose between his teeth…

And so it went…

The Fan Fiction Writer shook his head.  "As I said previously," he sagely intoned, "The Clones are 'socially inexperienced'…  Still, that never yet stopped ANY Teenager, male OR female, from being able to 'embroider' reality to their liking…  And to the envy of their peers…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	9. 08 Testing Times

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 08 "Testing Times"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Scan.

Somewhere deep inside the NERVIS Base, Rave#3 lay flat on her back beneath the sophisticated sensors of a Medical Imager.  Standard medical probes attached to her body monitored normal body functions, while more exotic means scanned her thoroughly via x-ray, ultrasound, infrared, & nuclear magnetic resonance.

She was not the only one being so thoroughly examined…

In another room, miles away, another Clone was in the same situation.  Further away again, a third Clone was also under the high tech microscope.

Mayi Buttin sat behind the control console in the room where Rave was, patiently monitoring the apparatus that surrounded the young blue-haired girl.

Glando Atari suddenly entered the room.  He took up position behind Mayi, out of her field of view.  Mayi tried not to react, but the way the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, was mute evidence of how much Glando's presence was creeping her out.

"Are the machines operating properly?" Glando spoke unexpectedly, the suddenness of his question making Mayi flinch.

"Yes Sir," Mayi promptly replied, "All Scanning elements on line, & recording!"

Glando turned his attention to the pale girl being analysed.  He stared at Rave#3 for a few seconds, then consulted his watch.  Minutes passed slowly as the second hand ticked its way to the appointed time.

"Rave," Glando finally ordered in low & measured tones, "Acquire the sequence…"

"Yes Sir," Rave#3 opened her mind to whatever her sister Clones might want to tell her…

A flow of images, thoughts, data, flowed into Rave#3.  Most of it was just the normal 'noise' of the Group Mind components, the mundane experiences.  Then, she was aware of something else…  There was an echo in the maelstrom, feelings similar to Rave#3's own personal perceptions of the room around her.  No, wait!  Echoes, from TWO other locations…

#6 to #3, acknowledge call?

Rave spoke as well as 'sent' her response, "#3 to #6, continue."

#6 to #3, Start Send… Yellow… Hard… Clear… Oblong… Facet… Celsius… End Send

Rave#3's lips moved, her words in perfect synch with the thoughts in her mind, "#3 to #6, Received… Yellow… Hard… Clear… Oblong… Facet… Celsius… Confirm?"

#6 to #3, Confirmed!

Glando smirked, as the secret codes Fu2ok had just given the most distant Clone were expressed clearly by Rave#3.

The machines continued to scan & record vague fluctuations in the bodies of the Clones for another half hour.  Then the test repeated, but this time with Rave#3 being the starting point for a different message.

For another half hour after that, the machines continued to probe & record.

Mayi looked on, not knowing what Rave was talking about, or what was going on…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Breakfast.

Shakey Atari was enjoying the soft comfort of his bed.  Still in dreamland, he was walking through a meadow, through masses of flowers.

From somewhere, he heard someone start calling his name.  He looked around, but despite the sound coming nearer, he couldn't see anyone.  Then he looked up.  Above him, an extremely blurry full moon looked down at him from a cloudy blue sky.  Shakey blinked, trying to get his eyes to focus.

And the blurry moon & cloudy sky resolved itself into the ceiling of his room, & the face of his blue-haired friend, Rave Imanonymous, as she leant over him…

"Shakey?" Rave asked, "Have you had enough sleep?  Or are you still tired?'

"Yeahhhh," Shakey yawned & turned over in bed, "…'nuther ten minutes… wake up…"

"I will call you in ten minutes then," Rave straightened her posture, "What would you like for breakfast?"

"I'll get it," Shakey protested sleepily, trying to sit up.

"Rest," Rave pushed Shakey back down, "I will make breakfast."

"…my turn…"

"It may be your turn," Rave explained, "But it is my choice…  What would you like for breakfast?"

"Ohh… …zat case… eggs, toast, orange juice…"

"I will tell you when breakfast is ready," Rave walked out.

Shakey lay back & closed his eyes, not really awake, & not deciding if he wanted to wake up…  This was such a nice dream after all.  "Rave's nicer inna morning than Aesir…" he mumbled.

A few minutes later, Shakey found it wasn't a dream, as the smell of cooking food wafted through the apartment.  'Who's cooking?' he asked himself, 'Can't be Mazurka…  It smells like real food…'

Shakey staggered out to the kitchen, only to blink his sleep heavy eyes in surprise on seeing Rave in the kitchen, cooking food enough for three people.

"R-Rave?" Shakey was dumbfounded.

"Yes?"

Shakey rallied, "Uh…  I mean, Good Morning!"

Rave smiled slightly, "Good Morning to you as well, Shakey."

"Um…  Then that wasn't a dream?"

"What wasn't a dream?"

"You asking me what I wanted for breakfast?"

"Eggs, toast, orange juice," Rave pointed to the various parts of the meal on the table, & what was still in the frypan.

"Oh…" Shakey went a bit pink, "Thank you…"

"You are welcome."

Shakey stood there, not knowing what else to say, or do.  Fortunately, he was saved by the appearance of Mazurka, who had been lured out of her bed by the delicious aromas wafting through the apartment.

Mazurka took it all in her stride.  She went straight to the fridge & grabbed her first six-pack of the day.  "YEE-HAAAaaaa!" she crowed after inhaling the first can, & then shortly afterwards, "Burr-URP!"

Shakey was more than a little embarrassed by Mazurka's usual morning behaviour.

Rave didn't flinch, but calmly pointed out, "Mazurka?  I made breakfast of eggs, toast & orange juice.  Would you like some coffee as well?"

"Sure thing!" Mazurka hungrily confirmed, "I'll take some of everything, thanks!"

Rave dished the food out onto the three plates, & they all sat down to eat.

Mazurka ate three mouthfuls, then emptied another can of beer.  "So…  Rave," she asked, "How come you're cooking for us this morning?"

Rave paused to swallow her food before replying, "It was my choice.  Shakey has often cooked for us, I wanted to return the favour."

"Oh?" Mazurka's expression grew somewhat sly, "How'd you decide on the menu?"

"I asked Shakey what he wanted for breakfast," Rave answered guilelessly.

Mazurka raised an eyebrow, "Did you get him out of bed as well?"

Rave paused, "No.  I may have woken him up.  But he stayed in bed."

"Shakey?" Mazurka admonished in mock-sternness, "You let this poor girl do all the work of preparing breakfast for us?"

Shakey felt his cheeks grow warmer, "Yeah well…  I thought it was a dream…"

"Oh?" Mazurka grinned as she leant towards her favourite victim, "You often dream about Rave cooking for you?"

Shakey went red, & choked on the mouthful he was chewing.  Rave went slightly pink, but ate her food in silence.

When Shakey recovered, he gulped down the rest of his food, then announced, "I've got to get ready for school!  Thanks for breakfast Rave!"  He quickly scuttled off to his room, & away from any further comments Mazurka might make.

"Mazurka," Rave waited until Shakey was safely behind his closed door, "There are some things I need to talk about…"

"Shoot!" Mazurka magnanimously ordered as she grabbed another beer.

Rave paused & looked blankly at Mazurka.

Mazurka sighed, "I meant, you can 'shoot' your questions at me…"

"Thank you," Rave's voice dropped to little more than a whisper, "Yesterday, I received E-Mail messages from another girl at school.  She had been victimised by those who attacked me."

Mazurka was suddenly dead-serious, "Victimised?  How?  An… 'assault'?"

"I am not sure.  She only told me that they had called her names, put her things in the bin, & pushed & hit her.  However, she told me that other students had trouble with them as well.  She did not specify what happened to them…"

"When did she tell you this?" regardless of the question, Mazurka's attitude was more like that of an investigating officer.

"Here in your apartment, and also-"

"What?  She was in here?  When?"

"Yes," Rave went on to state in more detail, "She met me after school, & we walked here with Shakey.  He prepared a meal for us, & afterwards I walked her home.  I heard parts of her story here, & also at her home.  She was upset at what they had done to her, & was unable to talk readily about it.  She was frightened that they might be a further problem if she told anyone…"

"Don't worry about THAT!" Mazurka growled angrily, "I'll have a word with Security for her!  If she wants to press charges, I'm SURE we can accommodate her wishes!"

"Thank You.  Her Aunt asked me to consider doing so."

Mazurka looked thoughtful, "Then again…  I don't know how much trouble those jerks are in…  It may be a case of NERVIS wanting to keep things quiet…"

Rave looked at Mazurka expectantly.

"Oh don't worry Rave," Mazurka reassured with a dismissive wave of her hand, "I just mean that NERVIS will probably take care of their prosecution without much publicity.  From what I know of their attack on you, they'll be 'out of the picture' for QUITE some time!  Your friend won't have anything to worry about, whether she presses charges or not…"

Rave looked thoughtful, "Mazurka…  Is she my friend now?"

Mazurka was caught off guard, "Well…  She might think she is…  Remember what I told you about how a friend treats another person?"

"Yes."

"Well, she probably thinks you & Shakey have acted like friends to her…"

Whatever reply Rave might have made, was prevented by Shakey's emerging from his bedroom, ready for school.

"See you later Mazurka," Shakey called out, as he & Rave went out the door.

'Coming out of your shell at last, Rave?'  Mazurka thought as the door shut…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Meetings.

Shakey & Rave made it to school in plenty of time.  Which was just as well, as they had a few surprises waiting for them.

Surprise Number One, was finding Natsumi Iwakawa waiting for them at the school gates…

"Good Morning Ms Imanonymous, Mr Atari," Natsumi waved hello to them & walked over to join them.

"Please, call me Shakey…" Shakey felt self-conscious at such a formal address, 'It's too much like being called 'Pilot Atari'…'

Natsumi returned cutely, "Then please call me Natsumi, MR Atari…"

Rave observed the interchange, then made an offer of her own, "Please call me Rave…  Ms Iwakawa…"

Natsumi smiled, "Yes Rave…  And will you call me Natsumi as well?"

"Yes," Rave replied in her usual monotone, before adding, "Natsumi."

Natsumi sidled up to Rave, & began to indulge in the usual 'Girls Talk' that schoolgirls always have with their friends, "…and I said to her, that if he really wanted to see her best friend…"

Rave remained politely silent for the most part, taking notes, & trying to hide the fact that she didn't know what Natsumi was talking about…

Shakey glanced sideways at them & smiled.  For some strange reason, he felt more relaxed & carefree than he had in ages…

Surprise Number Two, was waiting in their classroom…

"Hey, Shakey!" called a familiar spectacled boy, who until now had been absent.

"What?  KANTSEE!" Shakey nearly shouted on seeing his friend.  He went over & gave Kantsee a bear hug, "Oh man!  Kantsee!  Am I ever glad to see you!"

"I'm glad to see you as well," stated Kantsee, "However, despite how happy you are to see me, I feel I must remind you, that I'm not Gay!"

Shakey let go of his friend in a hurry.  Then he saw the smile on Kantsee's face, & realised that Kantsee had been ribbing him.

"YOU!" Shakey playfully punched his friend in the shoulder, not upset in the least by Kantsee's Macho joking around.

"Seriously though, it's good to be back!" Kantsee was obviously pleased, "I was starting to miss all the Military Hardware…"

Shakey sweat-dropped at his friends comment, 'Same old Kantsee…'

Rave stood nearby & watched silently.

"And how are you, Ms Imanonymous?" Kantsee asked politely.

"I am well thank you, Mr Hayeater," Rave surprised Kantsee by speaking to him.  Then she surprised Kantsee even further, by going over & giving him a bear hug, just as Shakey had done.

Shakey blinked in surprise, while Kantsee just stood there, his mouth opening & closing in shock, like a goldfish out of water.

"And Please," Rave added on releasing Kantsee, "Call me Rave…"  With that, the blue haired girl went & sat in her usual seat.

Kantsee was paralysed with shock for a few seconds.  Then he turned to Shakey & whispered, "Who is she, & what's happened to the Real Ice Maiden?"

Shakey took a deep breath, & tried to explain it as best he could.  "Kantsee, trust me on this…  Rave… really isn't the girl you thought you knew…"

"Oh?" Kantsee raised an eyebrow, "So the rumours are true then?"

Shakey slumped in his seat, "Oh No!  Not more rumours…  Listen!  Trust me on this too!  The rumours about me & Rave aren't true!  It's all just a big misunderstanding!"

"What's this about you & Rave?" Kantsee looked confused.

"Huh?" Shakey suddenly felt uneasy, "Aren't you talking about me & Rave being an 'item'?"

"No…  I was talking about Rave beating up those thugs last week…"

Shakey realised he should have kept his mouth shut…

"But!" Kantsee leaned over to leer conspiratorially at Shakey, "If there's something you want to get off your chest…  You can always confess your Guilty Secrets to me…"

"Oh God!" Shakey groaned, "It's NOT like that!"

Kantsee grinned, "Oh?  What IS it like then?"

The timely arrival of Hickory Harikari & some of the other girls, put a damper on any further revelations Shakey might make.

Surprise Number Three, occurred when Rave rose from her seat & went to talk to Hickory & the other girls…

An unusual action that was not lost on those in the classroom.  Kantsee & Shakey both shut up & watched, although for different reasons.  Kantsee was still shocked by how much Rave had changed in his absence.  Shakey though…

'What are you doing now Rave?' Shakey wondered.

"Good Morning Ms Harikari," Rave said politely.

"Good morning Ms Imanonymous," Hickory politely replied.

"Please, call me Rave," Rave gave Hickory a slight smile, before sweeping her gaze over the other girls.

"Hickory blinked in surprise, "All right…  Rave…"

"I need some advice," Rave asked.

This frank admission stunned the other girls into fascinated silence.  When the other girls didn't answer, Rave pressed on with, "Yesterday, I was told that the Senior Gang had been victimising other students in the school.  What do you know about this?"

That broke the ice!

Within seconds, Rave was in the middle of a feminine maelstrom of gossip, news, & innuendo.  This time though, she was NOT the subject of conversation.  Rave listened & took notes, frequently asking for clarification of terms used…

"So…  Shakey," a bewildered Kantsee asked his equally bewildered friend, "You were saying she's definitely NOT the girl I thought she was?"

Shakey nodded silently.

"In that case," Kantsee took his friends reaction as a yes, "Who is she then?"

Shakey opened his mouth to speak, shut it, opened it again, then sighed deeply.  "I'm not too sure myself," he admitted, "Things have changed a lot recently…"

"Oh?" Kantsee raised an eyebrow, "How?"

"LOTS!" Shakey asserted, emphasizing the word with the sure authority of someone who'd seen it first hand, "It's too much to go into now…  Lunchtime would be better…"

"Okay," Kantsee shrugged nonchalantly, 'That'll give me more time to get updates from my contacts.  Provided they're still in the area…'

In the meantime, Shakey pressed Kantsee for information on Kantsee's life, during the time he'd been absent.

"Nothing to say really," Kantsee replied morosely, "I was stuck out on a cousin's farm WAY out in the sticks…  They didn't even have cable TV…"

Shakey Manfully commiserated with Kantsee's plight…

Surprise Number Four, would start making itself known as the other students arrived…

Not that Shakey or Kantsee noticed it, although Rave would notice, but would not attach any importance to it…

…The way the other students kept a wide margin between themselves & Rave…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Kindly Concern.

In the depths of the NERVIS Base, AVE Pilot compatibility testing of the Clones continued round the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Systems breakdowns permitting…

Mid-morning, the latest group of Clones exited the test facilities.  They were the last to be tested for the next few hours, due to scheduled maintenance.

Mazurka had been overly pessimistic about how many Clones would be tested in a day.  She had thought 24, it was far less.  So far, only 9 Clones other than Rave#3 had been tested.

The number of Clones tested wasn't due solely to equipment malfunction & maintenance.  It certainly wasn't due to any 'softness' on the part of Command towards the Clones.  No, it was because the tests weren't just the 'basic' ones potential Pilots received.

All of the Clones were subjected to a range of tests in the simulators.  As well as basic compatibility tests, they underwent compatibility testing with data from Unit Won, & Unit Too.  Rave#3 was often re-tested beside her 'sisters' as a 'statistical benchmark', her presence in a Test Unit preventing it from being used for another Clone…

In the testing facility, Fu2ok rubbed his tired eyes.

"Sir?" Mayi was worried at the elderly man's appearance.

While there were different teams who performed the duties of Bridge Crew during testing, Glando was adamant that either he or Fu2ok be present at all tests.  While the tests might have required 12 hours of constant presence from either man per day, Glando had other duties that prevented him from being available for many of the tests.  Consequently, Fu2ok was doing the Lion's share of supervising the tests, & often exceeding 12-hour workdays in the process…

"Hmmm?  Sorry," Fu2ok mumbled wearily, "I didn't hear you…"

Mayi tensed slightly, "I said Sir, that we've finished collating the data…"

"Oh right…" Fu2ok replied absently, "I'll take the results to the Commander…  You can all stand down…  The next shift will continue the tests after Maintenance has been completed…"

"Yes Sir…" Mayi watched the older man shuffle off, 'He's tiring himself out…'

Mayi returned to her desk.  One of her monitors showed Rave sitting in the Pilot's lounge in her AVE Pilot Snug Suit, holding a can of drink.  Mayi zoomed the image.  Rave's face came up in detail, showing the beginnings of dark rings under the girl's eyes, & a general listless look to her young face.

The appearance of the blue-haired girl made Mayi uneasy, 'This isn't right!  Rave's been run ragged during these tests.  I don't know how she's managed to keep going, but she won't for much longer…'

Uhoh stretched back in his seat & yawned, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Uhoh's yawn reminded Mayi of just how tired she felt herself.

"Just thinking how tired Rave looks…" Mayi admitted.

"Don't worry," Moccona reassured her, "She's finished testing for the day.  She'll be able to go home & rest now."

Mayi wasn't convinced, "Still…  It's a long way back to her apartment…"

"What's that got to do with it?" asked Moccona.

"Well…" Mayi flustered, "She has to get showered & changed…  Then there's travelling time…  Let alone getting a meal…  I mean… the poor girl looks like she's about to fall over!"

"Security will look after her," Moccona stated the obvious.

"Huh," snorted Mayi derisively.

"Hey, if you're that worried about her," Uhoh chipped in with his thoughts, "Why don't you go & make sure she gets home all right?"

Mayi was taken aback by the comment, "Uh…  I've still got work to do here…"

Uhoh shrugged the comment off, "That's okay.  Me & Moccona'll take care of it!"

"But…" Mayi protested, "I don't really know her that well…  I don't know if she'd accept if I offered her a lift, & I don't want to embarrass her…"

Moccona raised an eyebrow, "Let me get this straight…  You've already given Rave numerous 'full' medical examinations…  Yet you're worried you might embarrass her, just by offering her a lift?"

"Yes," Mayi sighed, obviously embarrassed, "All of my dealings with her so far, have been strictly professional, 'business as usual'…  I don't know how she'd react if I tried being a 'normal' person with her…"

"Mayi…" Moccona dropped his voice to a whisper, "Are you uneasy with how she's 'different' to the rest of us?"

"That's not it at all!" retorted Mayi.

Moccona persisted, "Then why not offer your help?  It won't hurt to ask?"

"Yeah," added Uhoh, "Go do the 'Girl Power Thing'!  It'll do her good…"

"All right then, I will," Mayi snapped, before standing up & walking off.

"Heh, Chicks," Uhoh confided to Moccona after Mayi had left the room, "They all turn into 'Mother Hens' sooner or later…"

Both of the men laughed at the joke.

Mayi found a tired Rave in the Pilots' lounge.  She timidly approached the girl, "Rave?  How are you?"

Rave#3 turned her head to look at Mayi.  Up close, Rave's face looked even more haggard than it had on the monitor, "I am… fine… Ms Buttin."

"Are you sure?  The tests have been rather tiring?"

Rave nodded silently.

"Rave?" Mayi hesitated, then forged ahead, "Would you like a lift home?"

"That will not be necessary…"

"It's no problem, I've got my car, so I can drop you off at your apartment…"

"I will not be going back there…"

"Oh?  Why not?" Rave's comment worried Mayi, 'She's not scheduled for MORE tests is she?'

Rave's next words only slightly relieved Mayi's concerns, "I have orders to use accommodation in this facility."

"Orders?  From who?  Why?"

Rave looked at Mayi for a few moments, 'She has Security Clearance, & the need to know…  The Commander did not order me to keep it secret…'

"The Commander…" Rave said quietly, "For security reasons…"

"Oh…" the words explained everything & nothing to Mayi, 'Security reasons?  What's going on?'

Rave rose slowly, & started off to the showers, one hand not quite reaching out to the walls for support.

"Rave?" Mayi called out after the exhausted girl.

"Yes?" Rave paused without turning to face Mayi.

Mayi slipped back into her Professional Persona, "You look tired.  These tests have strained you.  In my Medical Opinion, I believe that you should eat as soon as possible, then sleep it off."

"I will go to the Canteen after I shower."

Mayi faltered, then said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, "Good!  I'll meet you there!"

Surprised, Rave turned to look at Mayi, "Why?"

Mayi hid her nervousness with what she hoped was a nonchalant shrug, "Because I'm hungry myself, & I dislike eating alone."

"I do not understand?"

Suddenly nervous, Mayi looked at the floor & rubbed her hands together, "I prefer to eat with friends…  It's more fun!"

Rave blinked, 'Does she think of me as a friend?'  She pondered the situation, the murmured, "I will see you there then, Ms Buttin…"

An emotional weight seemed to lift off of Mayi, in less nervous tones she offered, "Please, call me Mayi off-duty…"

Rave merely nodded, then continued to the showers…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Obligatory Shower Scene…

In the changing room, Rave met up with the other two Clones who had just been tested along with her. They had already washed up, & had changed into the hospital outfits the rest of the Clones were wearing.  They both turned their quiet gazes on Rave as she started to change.

You are tired #3 #13'sent', turning on the shower for Rave.

Yes Rave#3 replied, stowing her Snug Suit in the laundry hamper.

Will you need assistance in the showers? from #12.

No.  I am not that tired Rave#3 entered the shower, Although…

Yes? both of the others sent.

Ms Buttin said I looked tired…  Her Medical Opinion was that I should eat soon, & get some sleep Rave#3 began to relax as the warm water began washing the TLC away, along with some of the bone-weariness from her body.

Yes #12 agreed, You should #13 concurred.

She also said she would eat with me in the Canteen… Rave#3 began washing her hair clean with soap & water.

Does she wish to evaluate your health in an informal setting? #13 queried with some concern, Does she think you are merely fatigued… or… unwell?

Neither… Rave#3 sent from behind closed eyes, the jets of water washing the suds from her hair,

?  Explain! both Clones sent.

She said she was hungry herself, & that she would prefer to eat with a friend her hair feeling clean, Rave#3 began soaping the rest of herself.

??  What Friend?

I think she meant myself.  She asked me to call her Mayi, off-duty…#3

#12 considered the information A friend does show concern for the health of another friend…

Does she wish to be a friend to the rest of us? #13.

I do not know… Rave#3 let the shower wash the suds from her skin.

Would she let us eat with her as well? #12.

I do not know… Rave#3 reached out & turned off the shower.

We can ask her #13 offered Rave#3 a towel.

Yes.  We can Rave#3 towelled herself dry, then walked to 'her' locker.  She opened it, then stopped still, staring at something in the locker.

Is something wrong? #12.

No.  Just observing Rave#3.

Explain?

Rave#3 gestured towards the locker My clothing.  I have numerous copies, but no variety

What of it?

My wardrobe.  It is like ourselves.  Numerous copies, but no variety Rave#3

We have variety now.  Our Hairstyles

That is not what I meant Rave#3

???

Rave#3 reached out to touch the fabric hanging in the locker The clothes wait to be worn.  As they wait in the locker, so we waited in the Doppelganger Lab.  Bodies waiting to be worn, by the lifestyle called 'Rave'…

The other Clones remained silent as they digested this.

Rave#3 took out her school uniform & held it in both hands, contemplating the coloured cloth Does 'Rave' exist?  Or is she just a set of habits that we follow?  A life that wears US?

She is all we know how to be #12.

Shakey wants us to be more! Rave#3's hands clenched the fabric, wrinkling it He tries to help us be more!  He treats all of us as individuals!  As people!  Not as 'clothes' that can be replaced when they wear out!

Yes… agreed the others.

I… miss his presence… Rave#3 closed her eyes.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Canteen Companions.

A short time later In a Canteen near the AVE Pilot testing centre, Mayi received a surprise…  Rave appeared, with two other Clones following close behind her.

"May the others eat with us as well?" Rave#3 asked Mayi, indicating the other Clones with a hand.

"S-sure!" Mayi was only slightly startled by the 'triplets' before her.

The three Clones nodded in unison, then went to the servery…

The Canteen staff, or rather, the NERVIS Catering & Commissary Corps, prepared all of the meals served in the sprawling NERVIS Base.  The Logistics & Economics involved in such a large undertaking, meant that the meals were all prepared in one central location, then 'delivered' to various canteens all over the Base.

In the more 'secure' parts of the base, the canteens were usually the self-serve 'pigeonhole' type, where refrigerated shelves kept the food hygienically fresh behind small plastic doors.  People just took what they wanted, with stock monitored to ensure the availability of popular choices, & minimise wastage.

Depending on the time of the day, or orders from 'UP TOP', the canteens could also provide a more formal 'buffet style' set-up.  In such cases, the pigeonhole shelving was augmented by a self-serve table that could include hot soup, roast meat dishes, or just about anything else 'Command' wanted.

The current set-up in the canteen was a blend of the two, with pigeonhole shelving holding the usual fare, & a large table holding vegetarian fare for the Clones.  Platters of prepared fruit & vegetables lay beside ranks of sandwiches based on cheese, egg, or vegetable fillings, as well as vegetarian versions of Sushi Rolls & pasta noodle dishes.

The Clones stocked up, taking a selection of fruit juice, bottled water, soft drinks, & milk drinks from the refrigerated servers to wash their meal down with.  Ready to feed, the Clones seated themselves at Mayi's table.

"May the others call you Mayi as well?" Rave#3 asked.

"Err…  Yes, you may…" Mayi was more than slightly flustered at the situation, but not by the actual request itself, "Um…  H-How should I address you?"

"Please call me #13," replied #13.

"Please call me #12," replied #12.

"All right…  #12…  #13…" Mayi replied in a faint voice, handling the situation as well as could be expected.

Rave#3 sent a message to the other Clones, #12 & #13 have given permission for Ms Mayi Buttin to use their numbers…  Can she use your numbers as well?  All in favour respond?

YES That is agreeable No problem

Against? Rave#3 sent.

There was no answer.  Rave looked at Mayi.

"Please call all of u- the others… by their numbers, Mayi," Rave#3 offered.

"Err…  Thank you…" Mayi accepted the offer graciously, even if she did so with a weak voice.

"And may we all call you Mayi, off-duty?" Rave#3 looked placidly at Mayi.

Mayi rallied at the way the conversation was getting back to 'normality'.  "Sure…" she shrugged, "Actually, you can call me Mayi even when I'm ON duty, unless you're uncomfortable with it…"

"We will, Mayi," the three Clones chorused, much to Mayi's nervous discomfort.

Call her Mayi, on or off-duty sent #13

We will! sent ALL of the other Clones.

Mayi was still concerned about the tired blue-haired girl, "Rave…  Will you be all right getting to your accommodation tonight by yourself?"

"Yes," Rave#3 replied calmly, then added after a short pause, "Thank you, Mayi."

"What about you others?" Mayi tried to keep the conversation 'normal'.

"Security will take care of us," replied #13, while #12 munched on.

Mayi nodded, not really at ease, but not as spooked as she had been.

They ate in silence, Mayi gradually getting accustomed to the Clones…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Statistics.

In his office, Glando & Fu2ok went through the data collected so far.

"You were right Atari," Fu2ok slumped wearily in his seat, "Unit Won IS treating them differently to Rave#3.  Clone#11 lasted just over 3 minutes before being rejected…"

"And how is Rave#3 doing?" Glando demanded, "Has there been any change?"

Fu2ok failed to stifle a yawn, "Not much!  So far, she hasn't even lasted 5 seconds before being rejected by Unit Won!  She can barely synchronize with Unit Too."

"What about the others?"

"Mixed results…" Fu2ok flipped through some papers, checking data, "To put Clone#11's score with Unit Won in perspective, none of the others lasted more than 40 seconds…  She did well with Unit Too, with the second highest synch rate of 4 percent.  Clone#12 had the best result with Unit Too, just over 9 percent, but she only lasted 7 seconds with Unit Won…"

Glando considered the news in silence for several moments, then muttered, "Perhaps we should change the parameters of the test subjects…"

"What do you mean?"

"If 'mental contamination' is the key to gaining control of Unit Won, perhaps we can speed things along with further contamination…"

Fu2ok stared aghast at Glando, "You can't be serious!?  Mental contamination may reduce their conditioned obedience!  The last thing we need is for any of them to lose control & go berserk!"

"Have faith Professor," Glando smugly remonstrated, "I was thinking of something a bit more, 'Socially Responsible'…  A way of changing their mindsets, while reinforcing desirable traits…"

Fu2ok sighed, "All right…  Tell me what you've gone & planned behind my back…"

"Professor," Glando said in hurt tones, "You wound me…  I've done nothing of the sort…  Major Kutsarug is the one responsible this time…"

"M-Major Kutsarug?" Fu2ok's jaw dropped open in shock.

"Look at this & tell me what you think," Glando handed a folder over.

Fu2ok took the folder & read silently.  As he read, various emotions tinted his face.  Intrigue, worry, humour…  Eventually, he finished reading.

Fu2ok stared at a particular page, "Well…  It's… original…  I'll grant you that…"

"Will it help our current project?"

"Depends…" Fu2ok yawned again, "I can see your point…  This proposed curriculum of Major Kutsarug's will certainly change the 'mindset' of the Clones…  It will certainly make them seem more 'different' to Unit Won!  But…"

"But?"

"But…  I don't know if it will be an advantageous change or not…  It could go the other way, & lower their effectiveness…"

"I think not," Glando quietly disagreed, "The topics discussed are within the scope of what STEELY wanted them to learn… eventually…"

Fu2ok frowned, "So, we'll be doing some of STEELY's dirty work for them?"

"It will certainly appear that way to some people."

"Have we got 'guests' again?"  Fu2ok had a worried look on his face.

"They are being… entertained," replied Glando, "They will not be a problem.  Especially if they should report on how we are training the Clones…"

Fu2ok gave Glando a hard look, "But will they only stay 'observers'?"

Glando stared back at Fu2ok, "If not, we will respond in kind.  In the meantime, appearing to train the Clones as STEELY wish us to, can only stand us in good stead.  Do you have any objections to the planned curriculum?"

"Not really…  But knowing what they were designed for…  I wonder what our 'guests' will think of the Clones learning 'dressmaking'…"

"Indeed," Glando smirked, "The thought had crossed my mind…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Rooftop.

The school bell tolled the start of the lunch hour, & students began to stream from their classes, & talk freely with their friends.

It was the first real chance Kantsee & Shakey had that day in which to really catch up with others lives.  Kantsee had assumed that Shakey would have lunch with him on the rooftop, as they normally did.  He was right.  What Kantsee hadn't thought about, was that Rave might come along as well…

It was a strange situation for Kantsee, watching Rave eat her lunch beside the two boys.  'She really has changed…' he thought.

The strangeness was unsettling, but Kantsee plucked up his courage.  "Err…  Rave?" he asked, "I've been away for a while, & things have changed…"

"Yes.  They have."

"Err…  How?  Exactly?"

Rave stopped eating, & looked at Kantsee placidly.  "I can not say," she replied, "I am not aware of what your world view was, & I do not know what it now is.  Therefore, I cannot comment on any changes in it."

Rave went back to eating…

Kantsee was shocked.  Not just that Rave had actually spoken more than a few words to him, but that she was now…  'Philosophical?' he began to sweat.

Shakey was a better source of information, but not by much…

"So how did you defeat the last Alien?" Kantsee fished for answers, like a master angler might shoot fish in a barrel.

A sudden look of pain slid over Shakey's face, & he looked troubled.

Kantsee was worried by the change in his friend, "Shakey?  Was it a bad one?  I know I wasn't here…  But if you want to talk about it?"

Shakey shook his head dismissively, "No…  That's not it…  It's just…"

"Just?" Kantsee prompted.

Shakey had tears in his eyes as he spoke to Kantsee, "I've learned what it feels like… to lose people…  To see them hurt…  In pain…  To know…"

It was too much for Shakey, tears began to roll down his face. 

Kantsee felt bad, he only wanted information, not to hurt his friend.  "Shakey…" he muttered, "If this is hard for you…"

"No," Shakey sniffled, wiping his face with the back of his hand, "I'm over the worst of it…  But I think I know how Toe-Jam felt… when his sister got hurt…"

Kantsee was debating if he should do the 'Manly' thing & reach out to comfort his friend, when Rave beat him to it.  She went to Shakey, & put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

The action spooked Kantsee.  'She's comforting him?  When did she get so… so… 'normal'?  What happened that would change her so much?  Was it what happened to Shakey?'

"You could not save them," Rave's quietly murmured words reached Kantsee's ears.

'Oh man!' Kantsee swallowed hard, the words making him think he now knew what happened, 'He must have seen people get hurt & die…'

An emotional knot formed inside Kantsee, he was no stranger to the horrors of war & human suffering.  Even though he'd only come into contact with 'sanitised' versions of death & suffering, he still knew what it was like to see people in dire need, & not be able to do anything for them.  He'd known since he'd seen his first 'Real' War movie over a decade ago…

The film had a scene where a helicopter was rescuing some troops from a jungle.  One of the wounded was accidentally left behind…  The sight of the crippled man trying to run after the chopper, screaming piteously for help while the enemy closed in on him, had haunted Kantsee for weeks afterwards…

'If he doesn't want to tell me…  I won't ask,' Kantsee resolved.

Kantsee decided it was best to change the subject, "Rave?"

"Yes?" Rave kept her arms around Shakey, keeping her attention focussed on the boy she held in a caring embrace.

"What happened last week?  Between you & the 'Seniors' gang?"

Rave turned to look at Kantsee.  Kantsee gulped, as Rave's unblinking stare bored into him.

"Have you heard rumours?"

"Uh…  Yeah…"

"What have you heard?"

Kantsee hesitated, then shrugged his shoulders & ploughed on.  "Well…  Most of the rumours say you put six guys in hospital…  In various ways, for various… ah… 'reasons'…" Kantsee trailed off.

Rave stared at Kantsee, evidently waiting for him to continue.  When he didn't continue, she quietly informed him, "They attacked me.  They had heard rumours that Shakey & I had consummated a physical relationship…"

Kantsee blushed, Shakey looked weary, Rave continued speaking, "They thought I should not waste my time with him, as they were sure I could have a better time with them…"

Kantsee squirmed uneasily.  He knew as well as Shakey did, what such words & attitudes from a pack of arrogant thugs could lead to…

"I declined their offer, & they became angry.  They tried to intimidate me, but I would not let my Personal Rights be infringed upon.  Then they hit me."

Kantsee couldn't look at Rave now.  A sick feeling ran through him, as this was the point in the story where some of the rumours became… disturbing…

"I fought back, using the Martial Arts training I received as an AVE Pilot.  They suffered serious injuries.  I did not.  They were taken away by Security."

Kantsee breathed a sigh of relief.  He had hoped certain rumours were wrong.  He wasn't sure he could have listened to Rave describing what had supposedly happened to her in some of them…

"So…" Kantsee hesitantly asked, "So…  It was only a fight?"

"It was not an 'assault'…" Rave's deadpan tones made her answer seem all the more suggestive…

"You fought them off?" Shakey sounded surprised, concerned, worried & amazed in the one sentence, "Security didn't intervene?  I… didn't know…"

Rave turned slightly pink, "Security did not have to intervene…"

Kantsee could accept that, 'Yeah, makes sense that a Combat Pilot should know how to fight hand-to-hand…  As Aesir proved when she first arrived…'

Kantsee looked away from his friends, not quite having the courage to see their response when he asked, "I guess that leaves… what happened between you two…"

Shakey groaned, "I already told you, that was a misunderstanding…  Fact is, Rave slept over at Mazurka's…  Mazurka was going to let her sleep in Aesir's room…"

Kantsee's eyes went wide with fear, & he began to sweat as he imagined the reaction Aesir would have if THAT had happened.

"Yeah, RIGHT!" Shakey agreed with Kantsee's reaction, "So anyway, I offered Rave the use of MY room, while *I* slept in the Living Room…  And SOME people… misinterpreted that as meaning… that me & Rave…"  He couldn't finish.

"We did not do what they said we did," Rave finished Shakey's comment for him, "Nor did we attempt to."

"Actually," Kantsee was more than a little embarrassed, "I didn't mean that…  It's just, the two of you…  You seem… closer…  And you Rave, no offence meant, but you seem to be more… more…" Kantsee shrugged, "I don't know… you're almost a different person…"

"As Shakey said," Rave quietly replied, "I'm not the girl you thought you knew…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Afternoon.

The rest of the school day passed slowly for those impatient to escape its clutches.  Eventually though, school let out, & its captives were free to go.

The trio of Rave, Shakey & Kantsee walked through the school gates…

Kantsee had decided to walk with his two classmates.  It had been too long since he'd seen his friend, let alone enjoyed the company of someone who didn't think Kantsee was some sort of Gun-Nut/Survivalist.  Then there was the chance that he might overhear something of interest from the two AVE Pilots…

Despite all of his best efforts so far, Kantsee was none the wiser as to why Shakey, & especially Rave, had changed so much.  Even his 'contacts' could only tell him that the last battle had destroyed much of the city.

…Along with AVE Unit Null…

Not that Kantsee had gotten confirmation of such from either Rave or Shakey.  Kantsee had mixed emotions over what he had been able to confirm.  On the one hand, 'Too bad I missed it…'  On the other hand, 'If the battle was so bad that Unit Null was destroyed, Rave was lucky to survive…'  Then there was the disquieting thought, 'Half the City was destroyed?  What about the Shelters?  Are all the people who seem to missing dead, or just evacuees somewhere else?'

At the School gates, Kantsee got another surprise in the person of Natsumi Iwakawa.  The young girl had been waiting, & promptly ambushed the trio as they left the school.

"Hiya Rave!  Hiya Shakey!" Natsumi took up pace with her friends.

"Hello Natsumi," Rave gave a brief nod.

Kantsee blinked at Rave's casual greeting, 'She's friends with Rave?'

"Hi Natsumi," replied Shakey with a smile, "How was your day?"

"Fine thank you," Natsumi was the traditional image of a happy young schoolgirl.

Shakey gestured towards Kantsee, "Oh, by the way, Ms Natsumi Iwakawa, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, Mr Kantsee Hayeater…"

"Hello," Kantsee lifted his hand in a semi-wave, "Pleased to meet you."

"Hello Mr Hayeater."

Kantsee coughed, "Please, just plain Kantsee is fine."

"All right Kantsee…  Call me Natsumi!"

Natsumi walked beside Rave, providing much of the conversation in the group.  Once again, Rave stayed quiet & took notes.  Kantsee & Shakey made the usual Macho small talk that males of their age did.

Unknown to the group, they were being watched…

Glando had ordered heightened surveillance of the Clones, especially the one playing the part of 'Rave'.  Accordingly, part of a specialist team was currently monitoring Rave's activities from a nearby van.

They weren't the only ones…

STEELY also had 'observers' in the area.  They were there as STEELY was no longer entirely 'confident' that things were what Glando said they were.

None of which was known to the four friends, as they wound their way home.

"Shakey?" Rave interrupted Shakey's conversation with Kantsee.

"Yeah?"

"Would you like a Malted Milk?"

Shakey blinked once, then smiled mournfully as he realised they had almost walked past 'their' Milk bar, "Uh…  I'd like to, but I'm a bit low on funds at the moment…"

Rave felt concerned, 'Has he spent all his money on us?'

"No worries," Kantsee piped up, "In addition to spending my time at a farm with no cable TV…  They didn't have any stores either…  I'll buy 'em!"

"No," Rave's refusal surprised both the boys, "I will pay for them…"

Rave turned to Natsumi, "You prefer Caramel, correct?"

Natsumi nodded shyly.

Rave turned to Kantsee, "What flavour do you prefer?"

Kantsee grinned, "Vanilla.  But any flavour really, as long as it's free…"

Rave turned to Shakey, "And which would you like?"

Shakey smiled, "Well, I'd really like to try a flavour we haven't tried before…  So, I'll let you choose…"

Rave blinked, "You want me to choose?"

Shakey shrugged, "Sure!"

Rave went slightly pink, 'He wants me to choose?  Does he trust my judgement that much?'

Inside the shop, Rave looked at the range of flavours…

The range was not vast, but it did make Rave pause.  The list ran something like, Banana, Caramel, Chocolate, Coconut, Pineapple, Strawberry, Vanilla.

Rave considered her options, 'Shakey wants a flavour we have not tried before…  The only ones we have not tried, are Banana, Coconut, Pineapple, & Vanilla…  I have tried Caramel, but Shakey did not have any that time…'

Rave attacked her problem logically.  'Kantsee would like Vanilla, & Natsumi would like Caramel.  If I get those flavours, there is a chance they may share them…  That leaves either Banana, Coconut, or Pineapple…'

Rave looked at the list again, & made a decision, 'I will choose alphabetically.'

"Please?" Rave asked the Shop Keeper, "May I have three Malted Milkshakes?"

"Sure," returned the Shop Keeper, "What flavours?"

"One each of Banana, Caramel, & Vanilla."

It was about that time, that the STEELY observers, got a call from 'Up Top'…

"Come in Tourist, this is Travel Agent…  Time to confirm your booking…"

"Tourist here…  Destination has three alternatives…"

"Three?  Report target status!"

"Uh…  Say again Travel Agent?"

"Report in plain!"

"Roger!  Target has three companions.  Third Pilot, a male classmate, Kantsee Hayeater, & a female student, Natsumi Iwakawa.  All four are in a Milk bar at…"

"Milk bar?"

"Erm…  Yes…  Milk bar…"

"What is the target doing in a Milk bar?"

"Ah…  Would you believe, buying Malted Milkshakes for all of them?"

"…"

"You copy that, Travel Agent?"

"…target is… buying… malted milkshakes…?  …for them…?"

"Well…  Yeah!  Caramel, Vanilla, &… I think…  Yes!  Banana!"

"…tourist…"

"Yes, Travel Agent?"

"…carry on observing…  Travel Agent out…"

When Rave tried to pay, she became painfully aware of the fact that the Milk bar in question couldn't accept her NERVIS Charge Card for the transaction.

"I'm sorry dear," the Shop Keeper was MOST apologetic, "Our EFTPOS unit has packed up again…  Someone probably cut a cable by accident somewhere…"

Rave looked uncertainly from her useless card to the Shop Keeper & back again.

Seeing Rave's problem, Kantsee sprang to her rescue.  He Manfully unclipped his bulging wallet, "No Worries!  I'll pay for them!"

"I said I would pay," Rave put a hand out to stop Kantsee from taking money from his wallet, physically refusing his kind offer, "Please wait here.  I will get the funds from an ATM…"

"It's okay," Kantsee reassured, "I'll pay for them now, you can pay me back later…  Besides, if the EFTPOS isn't working, the ATM's might not be either…"

Rave looked at Kantsee, "Why?"

Kantsee was puzzled, "Why what?"

"Why would you pay for me?"

Kantsee shrugged, "I dunno…  Because you're a friend, I guess…"

Kantsee's words surprised Rave, 'He sees me as a Friend…?  Shakey has a photo of his classmates in his room.  They are his friends.  We wondered if they were also our friends, now that we are their classmates…  Perhaps… they are…'

Rave then surprised Kantsee by smiling at him.  From his seat at the table, Shakey also smiled…

The smile slipped off of Shakey's face, when Rave & Kantsee brought the Malts over to the table.  Kantsee had his Malt, Natsumi had her Malt, while Shakey saw to his sudden embarrassment, that Rave had only bought three Malts…  And that the Banana flavoured one she had with her, had two straws in it…

"Ah… Rave…" Shakey pointed at the Banana Malt, "The Malt?"

"We will share it," Rave simply replied.

"Err…  Is that okay with you?"

"Yes.  Should it not be?"

Shakey didn't reply, but he did seem rather subdued.  And more than a little pink in the cheeks…

Kantsee thoughtfully slurped his Malt, 'Hmmm…  Looks like Rave & Shakey are more of an item than Shakey's willing to admit…  Unless…  He's too thick to notice?'

The sudden realisation that his friend probably WAS 'too thick to notice' caused Kantsee to start laughing.  Not the safest thing to do, if you're trying to drink a Malted Milk at the same time.  Kantsee's choking fit didn't last long.

Shakey meanwhile, was remembering Mazurka's words about how much all of the Clones 'liked' him.  'We shared Malts previously,' he mused, 'But…  What does this mean?  Is she just trying to save money, or being a friend, or…?'

Shakey was too shy to look at Rave, so he didn't notice how she looked at him all the time she was drinking the Malt.

Natsumi did though.  'Boys!' she thought in exasperated amusement, 'They NEVER have a clue!'

Kantsee also noticed how Rave was looking at Shakey.  Kantsee's second choking fit was considerably longer than his first.

Unknown to the four children, the unseen observers had also noticed the seemingly innocuous social interaction, & had made detailed records of it.  Classified reports were soon making their way via 'secure' means to the decision makers of STEELY, & NERVIS.

Unaware of the building storm, the four friends enjoyed their time in the sun…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Muddying the Waters.

Running any large organization was never easy.  An organization like NERVIS, was even more difficult, especially if you were the sort of Megalomaniac who wanted 'total control' over the organization you ruled with iron fists…

Because of the size of Glando's workload, not to mention the nature of his work, He often spent long hours in his office handling paperwork, or participating in high-level conferences.  Sometimes he spent days at a time in there…

So, it was from purely practical need, & not from any sort of pampered Executive Ego, that there was an Ensuite attached to Glando's office.  As well as a Kitchenette, a bunk in a storage room, a compact laundry, & numerous telecommunication lines…

Yet, even with his 'home away from home' so close at hand, Glando Atari, the 'Hermit of the Executive Offices', was always pressed for time.

…But he was never so busy that he couldn't receive an urgent call on his 'private' phone from his network of spies…

The sudden low-pitched ringing caused Glando to stop reading the report before him.  He tensed slightly as he looked at the source of the sound.  Then he reached over & picked the phone up before the third ring…

"Report," Glando's voice was a neutral monotone, proof that no matter what, he was the one in control…

A lengthy pause followed.

"I see," Glando eventually murmured, a frown on his face, "No.  What they have seen is… allowable…  There is no need to intervene…  Yet…"

Glando paused to listen.

"Correct.  Keep them under high surveillance.  Should they cause any 'problems', you are authorised to 'solve' them…"

Another pause.

"That is all," Glando finally said, before hanging up the phone.

For several minutes afterwards, Glando sat in silence, a scowl on his face.  His brooding was interrupted by the ringing of another phone, one that was reserved for less 'urgent' calls.

Glando casually picked it up, "Report."

Glando's expression softened as he listened.

"What else have we confirmed about the girl?"

A short pause followed, with Glando listening intently to his caller.

"Place her under surveillance until further notice.  Inform me of any further association she has with any of the candidates…"

Glando paused to listen.

"Yes, level Three…  For her & her family…  No need to take chances."

Another pause.

"No.  That won't be necessary.  Continue Rave's surveillance as per current guidelines.  The same for the Others.  That is all."

Glando hung up the phone, & returned to the reports on his desk, a bemused expression on his face.

Sometime later, Fu2ok entered Glando's office, feeling greatly refreshed after a mid-day nap.  He placed another thick pile of printed reports on Glando's desk, only to blink in surprise as he became aware of Glando's facial expression.

"Err…  Good news I hope?" Fu2ok cautiously asked.

"Hmmm?" Glando replied absently, looking up from his paperwork.

"You look too happy, for a man with STEELY spooks sneaking around behind him."

"They are not a problem…" Glando sounded disinterested.

Fu2ok began to sweat nervously at Glando's unusual reaction, "They will be, if they see something we weren't expecting them to see…"

"They already have," Glando replied cryptically, actually breaking into a smile.

"What do you mean by that?" Fu2ok was officially worried, "And WHY are you so D--N calm about it?"

Glando waved his hand dismissively, "Don't worry Professor.  It's just something they weren't expecting to see, something that will actually help us…"

"What?  And How?" Fu2ok demanded.

"Rave has started making friends with other children at school…"

Fu2ok stood with a shocked expression on his face, "F-friends?  Rave?"

"Yes," Glando was obviously amused at Fu2ok's reaction, "We know she is on friendly terms with my son.  But she appears to have made a friend with a younger girl at her school as well…"

"How?"

"Investigations have revealed that the younger girl was a victim of the gang Rave fought last week…  Common suffering often creates bonds of friendship…"

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Fu2ok spluttered incredulously, "Are you insane!?  This has the potential to… to…"

"Help Rave develop normal social perspectives," Glando finished.

"But…"

"Don't worry," Glando calmly reassured, "ALL of the Clones are under high surveillance.  Resources are available, should any problems arise…"

"Including the 'Emergency Containment' systems?" Fu2ok asked dryly.

"They are armed…" Glando's answer was simple.

"How can you be so calm?  Something as random as this…"

"Is still within the parameters defined for their development!" Glando insisted.

"How can you be sure of that?"

"See for yourself," Glando offered a sheaf of papers to Fu2ok.

Fu2ok took the papers, & began skimming through them.  "Atari!" he suddenly fumed, "This is dated yesterday!  Why wasn't I notified then?"

"You were overworked…" Glando smoothly answered.

"I'm touched by your concern…" Fu2ok replied sarcastically.

"Still," Glando lured the conversation onto a new track, & pushed a thin folder over, "We other more pressing matters.  Another situation has provided us with some… unexpected assistance…"

Fu2ok opened the folder & began to read it.  His jaw suddenly dropped in surprise, "You've assigned Pilot categories for the Clones?  How could you possibly decide something like that when we haven't even tested them yet?"

"I didn't," Glando informed his astonished advisor, "The MOGGY computers ran a simulation, based on the results we've already obtained.  What the report you hold doesn't show, is a direct correlation I've found between the Clones, the source of their 'Contamination', & how it should affect their abilities…"

Realisation swept over Fu2ok's face, "So…  You think you can predict which Clones will have the best chances of piloting Unit Won?  But how did you discover this in the first place?"

"When I ordered the Tank Clones to impersonate Rave#3, I chose Clones not rostered for duties in the near future.  As we are testing in number order, lowest to highest, I chose those with high numbers.  I couldn't use those with the highest numbers, as they were the most injured in the Lab incident."

Light glinted off of Glando's glasses, "That's when something occurred to me.  Something that gave me the key to what you now hold in your hands.  I realised that the Clones with the highest numbers, were most likely among the first to leave the tank…  That explained the severity of their injuries.  Those injuries occurred when other Clones ran into the leaders, & crushed the leaders against the lab infrastructure…"

"Hmmm…" Fu2ok followed Glando's reasoning.

"But…" Glando continued, "Although they were first out of the tank, they did not get 'low' numbers.  Many people see numbering systems as being some sort of 'merit' system…  Number One is always best, & so on.  However…  These test results show that the ability of the Clones to Pilot, has nothing to do with the 'number' they have…"

Fu2ok raised an eyebrow, commenting, "That's obvious."

Glando continued, "Based on information obtained from the Clones themselves, & from surveillance tapes of the incident, I formed a theory.  A theory overwhelmingly supported by the test results so far.  Look at the diagram on the last page…"

Fu2ok shuffled the papers, & found a printed diagram of three circles placed at the points of an irregular triangle.  Each of the circles had a character in it, 'S', 'M', or 'R'.  Irregular curved shapes were drawn around the circles, overlapping each other in several places.  Within the curves were numerous three-digit numbers.  Several of the three-digit numbers were in coloured ink.

Glando spoke, clarifying the significance of the diagram "As you know, there were three sources of possible mental contamination in the Doppelganger Lab incident.  Shakey, Mazurka, & Ritzy.  The numbers on that diagram, are those of the Clones themselves, placed according to where they were in the heap that resulted when they left the tank.  The Clones with the best results so far, are closer to the 'three-way overlap' than are the others…"

"Yes," Fu2ok hissed, "It makes sense!  If the Clones were contaminated from TLC assisted synaptic contact, they could receive contamination from all three of the non-Clone sources in the Lab!  Even if each Clone did not receive the same levels of contamination from EACH of the sources!"

Fu2ok looked admiringly at the diagram, "So…  We now have a means of identifying which Clones will give the best results!  This will be a great help in testing!"

"Unfortunately…" Glando muttered sourly, "No, it won't…"

"What do you mean, No?  This theory is backed up by valid data, isn't it?"

Glando sighed before answering, "Yes.  But…  Not all of the Clones know where they were during the incident, due to unconsciousness, or confusion caused by their injuries…  Even if they know, they didn't stay in the same place.  There's also a possibility of Secondary contamination from the Emergency Medical Teams…"

Fu2ok frowned at the implications, "Which means that that the injured Clones in the Hospital, will probably have the most mental contamination, & thus have the best chance of synchronising with Unit Won?"

"Perhaps," agreed Glando, "But as you said earlier, we haven't tested enough of them to be sure…  And TLC does lose its… potency… at lower temperatures…"

Fu2ok grimaced, "Yes…  The theory may be sound, & it may appear to be backed up by valid data…  But this wasn't a controlled experiment…  There are too many unknown variables, too many 'wild cards'…"

"Which means that we should look at conducting 'controlled' experiments…" Glando suggested.

Fu2ok looked warily at Glando, "What do you propose?"

"Clones with low scores, to be deliberately contaminated under controlled Lab conditions, from pure memory sources.  To see if they can be… augmented…"

"A tall order.  We don't have any memory sources 'pure' enough to use…"

"You're forgetting, we have the data cores from Units Null, Won & Too.  As well as the base encoding blocks from the MOGGY computers themselves…"

Fu2ok nodded warily, "Yes…  I hadn't considered them…  They may work…"

"Then there's the education Major Kutsarug intends to give the Clones."

Fu2ok snorted in amused agreement, "That should REALLY change their mindsets…"

"As will any 'normal' socialisation Rave engages in," Glando insisted, pushing forward yet another folder, "To that end, I have another plan…"

Fu2ok picked the folder up, & began to read…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Hidden Insight.

The NERVIS Base was a large multi-level maze that extended for miles beneath the surface of the earth.  Because of its sheer size, there was a need for many more of the 'Rest Facilities', than the number of humans actually demanded.

The 'Rest Facilities' that dotted the base at predictable intervals, not only incorporated Toilets & Hand washing amenities, but were usually clustered together with Tea Rooms, First Aid rooms, & Emergency Assembly areas.  Showers were another common option in the Rest Facilities, sometimes as dedicated hygiene facilities, but more often as 'emergency decontamination' systems in the First Aid rooms…

In one such amalgamated facility deep within the NERVIS Base, a single person was using the amenities as a temporary habitation…

Rave Imanonymous.  Or rather, the third Rave Clone to play that role…

Rave#3 stood beside a makeshift bed, dressed in her usual school uniform.  Dark rings under her eyes marred her normal appearance…

Glando Atari stood before Rave#3 in a casual pose, his hands in his pockets.  His body language broadcast calm indifference, despite the way his hard gaze looked searchingly at Rave.  For her part, Rave stood calmly under the scrutiny, as if unaware of the visual examination she was under.

Then Glando spoke, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better sir."

"Lieutenant Buttin told me you were fatigued," Glando's voice was tinged with concern, "I know these tests are important, but your good health is also important.  You should have told someone if you were feeling the strain."

"I am sorry sir," Rave's head tilted downward, & she looked unhappy.

"It is not an adverse criticism against you," Glando amended, "You have given outstanding service in these tests.  I for one, am proud of your performance."

Rave's head lifted, & her cheeks pinked slightly at the words of praise.

"However," Glando firmly intoned, "In future, I want you to advise the relevant personnel of any stress, strain or fatigue you feel.  Is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Rave," Glando's voice took on an unusually gentle tone, "I think it best if you have a break from the testing schedule.  Rest for a few days, & regain your health.  You say you feel better, but I can still see the effects these tests have had on you."

Rave's head tilted lower.

Glando sighed, "Unfortunately, you'll have to stay down here.  Don't worry, I'll have a real bed brought in…  And an entertainment unit…  Some books as well…"

Rave stood silently, her head bowed.

"Rave?" Glando looked intently at the girl, "Do you still… communicate… with the Others?"

"Yes sir."

"How often?"

Rave paused before answering, "It depends.  If something important happens, we share the event among ourselves as it happens.  If we are told to disperse any information, we do so.  Otherwise, we talk at night."

"When you go to sleep?"

"Yes sir."

Glando quietly asked, "Do you ever talk about Shakey?"

Barely a heartbeat passed before a small voice answered, "…yes sir…"

"You all like Shakey, don't you?"

"…yes sir…" the small voice repeated.

"I too, was young once," Glando murmured softly.

"Some advice for you Rave," Glando said in a voice tinged with bitterness, "Don't let your emotions become a tool that can be used against you, or let your emotions affect your judgement.  If you do, bad things will inevitably happen…"

Then Glando strode out of the room, leaving a puzzled Rave trying to figure out just what Glando's words were meant to say…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Game Pawns.

That evening, the Clones had a visitor in their new home.

Glando Atari.

Glando stood in the Canteen area, quietly observing the Clones as they gathered.

"Are you all here?" Glando asked when no stragglers had joined the throng for several minutes.

"No Sir," the Clones answered in unison, "As per your orders, all of we healthy Clones have assembled here, apart from those following your other orders."

"Relay this meeting to all of the others… 'silently'…" Glando ordered, "None of you are to speak to any one else about the topics we will discuss here, unless I personally authorise it, face to face.  Understood?"

"Yes Sir," the Clones chorused.

"Now," Glando got down to business, "Rave#3 will continue to stay in the Test Facility until further notice.  Other Clones will continue to impersonate her at school.  AVE Pilot Compatibility Testing will continue, as per Major Kutsarug's schedule.  The schedule for Dorm Duties though, may have to be changed…"

The Clones' expression didn't change.

"The reason for the changes is three-fold.  One, to allow Clones to impersonate Rave#3 at school.  Two, to allow leeway in proposed training courses.  Three, to allow more of you to attend school with Shakey…"

A subtle change swept through the assembled Clones at the mention of Shakey.  Their faces were still impassive, but there was a spark of interest in them.

Glando continued, "Those attending school, will wear disguises…  This is for security reasons.  Clones not attending school as Rave#3, will impersonate a fictitious character.  Each fictitious character, will only be impersonated by a particular group of Clones.  You will take turns impersonating them, just as you are taking turns to impersonate Rave#3."

There was a noticeable change in the Clones attitude.  They were looking intently at Glando now, hanging on every word.

Glando smirked slightly as he noticed the change in the Clones attitude.

"Funding is to be arranged for the purposes of disguising yourselves.  The disguises in question, will include changing the colour & style of your hair, changing your skin colour with dyes, & the use of contact lenses to change your eye colour.  At this point in time, there will NOT be any 'plastic surgery', although that is an option that may be considered in the future."

"These new characters that you will impersonate, will be given backgrounds, or 'personal histories', to create the illusion that your character is 'real'…  I want those of you who participate in this, to learn the character off by heart.  The lessons Major Kutsarug is planning to give you on Modern Society will help.  However, you will also receive extra training by professionals…"

"Are there any questions?" Glando looked over the massed crowd.

"Yes Sir," one Clone asked, "Will we be able to choose which character we impersonate?"

"Not quite," Glando replied, "There are only so many characters to be created.  If too many choose the same one, then it will create logistical difficulties.  As it will if too few choose a particular character.  Then there is the fact that only a few Clones can be part of the initial scheme."

Many of the Clones looked slightly crestfallen at the announcement.

Glando noticed, "You will not be playing a game.  You will be part of a serious attempt to teach you how our Society works.  I will assign your characters based partly on lottery, similar to how Major Kutsarug assigned your numbers.  Don't worry, you will all get a chance eventually.  Until then, you must study hard, & learn how to apply your lessons in the real world."

The Clones seemed satisfied with that.

So did Glando…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Soliloquy.

The ruins of the Doppelganger Lab had been sealed off, but the detritus of the emergency, as well as its frantic aftermath, lay everywhere as no clean up crews had been sent in.

The investigation itself had not yet been officially concluded, but no one doubted that the lab itself would be written off.  The estimated costs ruled out any attempt at repair & refurbishment…

…Even if there was the intention to repair it…

Abandoned by everyone, the corpse of the lab now had a visitor.  A shadowy figure lurked in the gloom, a small torch providing a puddle of furtive light.  Detritus crunched under foot as shadows flickered across the wreckage, the figure stopping at the cracked remnants of the tank wall.  A hand idly touched the tank wall.  Pieces broke off & scattered over the floor.

"…i'm sorry…" the words whispered into the still air.

"…i failed you…"

"…again…"

"…although most survived…"

"…many did not…"

"…i protected them…"

"…as long as i could…"

"…but now…"

"…the committee wants them…"

"…wants 'Rave'…"

The soft words faded into silence.

"…you know what that means…"

"…afterwards…"

"…they'll abandon her…"

"…throw her away…"

"…just as they do with everyone else…"

The silence returned for several moments, only to be broken by a deep sigh.

"…what chance have we got…?"

"…what chance did we ever have…?

"…what can i do…"

A pause.

"…no…"

"…i can't give up…"

"…i've come this far…"

"…even if I lose…"

"…I'll keep fighting…"

"…but…"

Another pause.

"…without you…"

"…i'm only one man…"

Silence fell again.

Long moments passed, & then the figure made its way out of the lab.  It paused at the threshold to look back in the Lab, as if to make sure no trace of its sojourn remained.  Straightening its posture, it turned to face the light in the corridor outside the Lab.

Then Glando Atari, 'Heartless B-----D in Charge', strode out into his domain…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Traveller.

The NERVIS Base ran around the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, everyday of the year.  There were NO holidays for those caught up in the fight for Humanity's existence against the mysterious aliens.

But since Humans are only human, they couldn't work the endless hours demanded by the jobs in NERVIS.  NERVIS workers HAD to take time off for the things their frail, imperfect bodies needed, things like food, sleep, & activities that provided mental relaxation…

Accordingly, working hours in NERVIS fell into one of four daily shifts of seven hours each.  Each shift overlapped half an hour with the shifts on either side of it.  In practice, those starting work were always briefed personally on any changes by workers form the previous shift.  This enabled excellent communication between shifts, & allowed a smoother response in emergencies.

Which is why Fu2ok was leaving during the middle of one such shift, in the very early hours of the morning.  There would be fewer eyes to see him leave, & fewer tongues to tell of it…

Fu2ok leant on a handrail, watching as flight crew performed final checks on a supersonic transport…

Glando walked up & casually rested a gloved hand on the handrail, "The cargo is loaded…  There should be no complications during the flight."

"I certainly hope not," Fu2ok returned, "Still, it's what's at the other end that worries me…"

"There will be no problems there either," Glando quietly reassured, "All of the personnel involved are trustworthy, & have been fully briefed.  They know what to expect…"

Fu2ok drew a deep breath.

"Here," Glando handed over a small oblong box, "You may want to review this while travelling…"

Fu2ok gingerly took the parcel, "Is it the same as the others?"

"Identical," Glando murmured in confirmation, "For all practical purposes…  Don't worry, spares are also being carried…"

"If this works…" Fu2ok muttered, "Things will change completely…"

"Yes," Glando conceded, "If things go as anticipated, we will implement the new schedule immediately.  If not…"

"We go with what we've been given…" Fu2ok muttered sourly, "Some choice…"

The pair fell silent, watching as the Transport taxied across the runway.

Glando suddenly spoke, "You do realise, that from here on out, there can be no direct communication between us?  We both must follow the timetable, exactly?"

"I understand," Fu2ok clenched his jaw, "Too much possibility of 'certain people' finding out I'm not at home…"

"I have prepared a cover story for you, should the need arise…"

"Oh?  What?"

Glando wore a slight smile on his face, "You've been working rather hard lately.  In the interests of your continuing good health, I deemed it advisable for you to take a break…  A holiday, if you will…"

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 8 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Scan.

Glando turned his attention to the pale girl being analysed.  He stared at Rave#3 for a few seconds, then consulted his watch.  Minutes passed slowly as the second hand ticked its way to the appointed time.

"Rave," Glando finally ordered in low & measured tones, "Acquire the sequins…"

"Yes Sir," Rave#3 opened her mind to whatever her sister Clones might want to tell her…

…Right before she started giggling uncontrollably…

"CUT!" yelled the Fan Fiction Writer, knowing that once Rave had the 'giggles', it'd be a good five minutes before she was able to continue…

May's lip trembled, & then she burst out laughing.

"…erm… sorry…" mumbled Glando, going a rather embarrassed shade of pink as he realised he'd just stuffed up his lines, "Can we do that bit again?"

"Do you want me to acquire some beads as well?" Rave jokingly asked, once she was back under some sort of control, "How about embroidery?"

The Fan Fiction Writer hopes this OMAKE proves that writing Fan Fictions, is no different to making movies…  Characters STILL flub their lines…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Breakfast #1.

"Shakey?" Mazurka admonished in mock-sternness, "You let this poor girl do all the work of preparing breakfast for us?"

Shakey felt his cheeks grow warmer, "Yeah well…  I thought it was a dream…"

"Oh?" Mazurka grinned as she leant towards her favourite victim, "You often dream about Rave cooking for you?"

Shakey went red, & choked on the mouthful he was chewing.  Rave went slightly pink, but ate her food in silence.

"What about me?" Mazurka teasingly inquired, "You ever dream about me cooking for you?"

Shakey went deathly pale, he did INDEED dream about Mazurka's cooking, although 'dream' is not the right word for the occasions in question…

Shakey gulped down the rest of his food, then announced, "I've got to get ready for school!  Thanks for breakfast Rave!"  He quickly scuttled off to his room, & away from any further comments Mazurka might make…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Breakfast #2.

"Mazurka," Rave waited until Shakey was safely behind his closed door, "There are some things I need to talk about…"

"Shoot!" Mazurka magnanimously ordered as she grabbed another beer.

Rave suddenly rolled sideways, coming up in a combat crouch with her gun drawn & its laser sight sweeping the apartment for potential targets…

Mazurka sighed, "I meant, you can 'shoot' your questions at me…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Meetings #1.

Natsumi sidled up to Rave, & began to indulge in the usual 'Girls Talk' that schoolgirls always have with their friends, "…and I said to her, any drongo could see she had Buckley's with that subbie ever being her other half…  I mean, Blind Freddy could see that the way he tools around on his sickle, you just know the Galah's a temporary citizen…  And didn't she cut loose at me!"

Rave remained politely silent for the most part, taking notes, & trying to hide the fact she didn't know what the H--L Natsumi was talking about…

The Fan Fiction Writer decided he'd better translate the above Australian or 'Strine' dialect dialogue into standard English…

"…and I said to her, any idiot could see she had no chance with that building sub-contractor ever being her husband…  I mean, you don't need eyes to see that the way he rides around on his motorbike, you just know the idiot's going to have an accident & die soon…  And didn't she get angry & swear at me!"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Meetings #2.

"I need some advice," Rave asked.

This frank admission stunned the other girls into fascinated silence.  When the other girls didn't answer, Rave pressed on with, "How do I make a boy notice me?  You know, stake my claim on his heart?  Twist him around my little finger?  Turn him into my love-slave?"

That broke the ice!

Within seconds, Rave was in the middle of a feminine maelstrom of gossip, news, & innuendo.  This time though, she was NOT the subject of conversation.  Rave listened & took notes, frequently asking for clarification of terms used…

"So…  Shakey," a bewildered Kantsee asked his equally bewildered friend, "You were saying she's definitely NOT the girl I thought she was?"

Shakey didn't know what to say, although his patented 'Vague Feeling of Impending Doom' did make him wonder, 'I have **GOT** to find out what sort of 'advice' Mazurka is filling Rave's head up with…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Kindly Concern.

"But…" Mayi protested, "I don't really know her that well…  I don't know if she'd accept if I offered her a lift, & I don't want to embarrass her… "

Moccona raised an eyebrow, "Let me get this straight…  You've already given Rave numerous 'full' medical examinations…  Yet you're worried you might embarrass her, just by offering her a lift?"

"Yes," Mayi sighed, obviously embarrassed, "All of my dealings with her so far, have been strictly professional, 'business as usual'…  I don't know how she'd react if I tried being a 'normal' person with her…"

"Mayi…" Moccona dropped his voice to a whisper, "Are you uneasy with how she's 'different' to the rest of us?"

"That's not it at all!" retorted Mayi…

The truth is, Mayi was SERIOUSLY concerned that Rave might get the wrong idea if Mayi offered the blue-haired girl a lift home.  Especially since Mayi was a long standing member of the 'Asphalt Amazons' Bikie Gang, & often rode her Nitro-Burning, Harley Drag Trike to work…

The Fan-Fiction Writer wishes to state for the record, that the previous paragraph SUGGESTS NOTHING WHATSOEVER about Mayi's… *cough* *cough* 'Dating Preferences'…  After all, the majority of Male Bikies AREN'T Gay…

…Although the same can't be said for the majority of Males patronising the favourite Bar of the 'Asphalt Amazons'…  The Gay Bar, 'Thor's Purple Helmet'…

NOTE - 'Thor's Purple Helmet', the oft-mentioned-but-rarely-seen Gay Bar in this Parody.  Bar is owned by the Ultra-Macho 'Thor', a six-foot something sack of tanned muscles, blue eyes & (naturally) blonde hair.  The bar itself is immediately recognisable for its logo - that of a World War 2 Nazi helmet painted purple, with white wings attached.  The Bar serves a variety of drinks, from Hard Drinking straight alcohol, to Effeminate designer cocktails.  The Bar is well-known for the quality of its meals, & as a venue for live bands.

…I should mention, not ALL of the males patronising 'Thor's Purple Helmet' are 'Gay'.  Most are 'Bi'…  And since the majority of the males there AREN'T the sort who'd give women a hard time, but are more likely to be 'charming, sensitive & caring'…  …And might be 'Bi' to boot…

…The 'Asphalt Amazons' use it as a 'cruising' ground…

NOTE#1 Bikies in Japan - The Japanese Government estimated in the 1980's that some 42,500 youths were members in over seven hundred gangs across the nation.  Known collectively as 'Zoku' (Tribes), Bosozoku (Reckless Driving Tribes, or Speed tribes) were usually Motorcycle gangs, or rich boys with cars customised into hoon mobiles.  While most members were teenagers going through their 'Rebels Without A Cause' years, many gang members had more sinister motivations.

Note#2 - Owning a car in Japan.  Major headache, not only do you have the usual problems of paying for the car, maintaining it, fuelling it etc, but you also have the problem of GARAGING it, & for that matter, finding a parking space for it in the crowded cities.  Since motorbikes are more accessible/affordable for the average Japanese consumer, they tend to appear in popular Anime/Manga, often associated with the Main Character (Bubblegum Crisis, MegaZone 23, GTO, etc).

NOTE#3 - Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO). In this popular Anime/Manga story, a bike gang member decides to 'go straight' & become a School Teacher.  In NGE, it is established Canon that Gendou has been 'in trouble with the law', & that he has an 'unsavoury' past.  Could Gendou have been a 'Bosozoku' in his younger years?  For that matter, could any of the other characters in NGE?

NOTE#4 - Acceptance of Homosexuality in Japan.  'Gay Bashing', or physically assaulting someone just because of his or her sexual preferences is relatively unknown in Japan.  Traditionally, Homosexuality was openly accepted in Japan, rather than ignored, or persecuted as in Western Nations.  Medieval Samurai thought it 'unmanly' to have sex with a woman at all, & preferred to have sex with other Samurai, or with those they considered 'Real Men'.  In Contemporary Japan, a person still faces more censure for being 'indiscrete' when having a sexual escapade, rather than for having a sexual escapade in the first place.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Obligatory Shower Scene…

In the changing room, Rave met up with the other two Clones who had just been tested along with her.  They had already washed up, & had changed into the hospital outfits the rest of the Clones were wearing.  They both turned their quiet gazes on Rave as she started to change.

Rave#3 suddenly stopped in mid-disrobe, the open neck of her SnugSuit draped around her shoulders.  Slowly, Rave#3 turned her head.  The others followed suit, their combined gazes coming to rest on a Fat, Hairy, Hakujin (White Person or Caucasian, & thus a Foreigner) who was sitting on one of the benches, furiously scribbling notes in a spiral bound notepad.

All three Clones blinked in unison.

"Hmmm?" the Fan Fiction Writer was suddenly aware that the temperature of the room had fallen by several degrees (Celsius).  He looked up, & began sweating as he saw how the Clones were looking at him.  He smiled nervously back at them, adding the explanation, "Hey, don't mind me!  I'm just taking some story notes!"

…The door of the shower block was suddenly torn off its hinges by the screaming lump of biomass that splattered against the hallway wall outside…

"…uurrhhhgggg!" gurgled the Fan Fiction Writer, his severely bruised anatomy peeling slowly off the hallway wall with a squelching noise…

"We will take notes for you," Clone#12 calmly said, trying to fit the remains of the severely dented door back in the doorway.

"Yes," confirmed Clone #13, "That way there won't be any unnecessary or extraneous information that might distract your readers…"

…Which is why the Main scene has a "Zero Degrees H" Hentai (Pervert) rating…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Statistics.

Fu2ok sighed, "All right…  Tell me what you've gone & planned behind my back…"

"Professor," Glando said in hurt tones, "You wound me…  I've done nothing of the sort…  Major Kutsarug is the one responsible this time…"

"M-Major Kutsarug?" Fu2ok's jaw dropped open in shock.

"Look at this & tell me what you think," Glando handed a folder over.

Fu2ok took the folder & read silently.  As he read, various emotions tinted his face.  Surprise, Intrigue, Humour…  Eventually, he finished reading.

Fu2ok stared at a particular page, "Well…  If I'd known you were into this sort of thing…"  He gave Glando a saucy wink, & blew the bearded man a kiss…

"Err…" Glando sweat-dropped, "W-What are you talking about?"

Fu2ok opened the folder to reveal it was full of pictures of 'Real Men, STUDLY MEN, Doing Manly Things…  With/To Other Men…'

"How the H--L did THAT get in there?" screamed Glando.

"Oh don't play innocent," Fu2ok oh-so-playfully teased, "You were the one who told me to 'Look at His'…"

"I said 'Look at THIS'…" Glando insisted, "Ah…  I mean!  I don't know HOW those pictures got in there instead of…  FU2OK!  Stop drooling over the pictures like that!  It's Scary!"

"But he's GORGEOUS!" Fu2ok simpered, "JUST like the Hunky bartender who served me the last time I was at 'Thor's Purple Helmet'…"

Fu2ok suddenly gave Glando a GOOD 'Looking Over' before purring suggestively, "Still, if you'd rather I drooled over you…?"

Elsewhere, Mazurka was rummaging through her desk, desperately trying to find the set of… *cough* *cough*… 'Art Prints'… that Mayi had lent her the other day…

NOTE - Homo Erotic Material in Japan.  Quite a bit of it, & NOT just for Men who like other Men…  Women in Japan are MAJOR purchasers, especially of Anime/Manga (Cartoons/Comic books) & Doujinshi (Fan made publications).  'Shounen Ai' or 'Boys Love' usually refers to the developing feelings of Teenagers, while more 'physical' relationships are covered under the terms 'Yaoi', or 'June'.  The commonness of such material, is due to Traditional acceptance of Homosexuality, & the 'non-judgemental' approach Asian Religions have to Sex in general.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Rooftop.

"Actually," Kantsee was more than a little embarrassed, "I didn't mean that…  It's just, the two of you…  You seem… closer…  And you Rave, no offence meant, but you seem to be more… more…" Kantsee shrugged, "I don't know… you're almost a different person…"

"As Shakey said," Rave quietly replied, "I'm not the girl you thought you knew…"

"Oh?  So just who are you then?" Kantsee half-jokingly enquired.

Rave paused, considering the question seriously before answering as honestly as she could, "Just somebody that looks like her…"

"Jih-Just some BODY that looks like her…??" Kantsee repeated Rave's words, turning white as a sheet as he did so.  He suddenly jumped up & ran away screaming, "The Body Snatchers are here!  The Body Snatchers are here!"  His screams faded into the distance…

"Oops," the Clone murmured, realising she may have made another mistake…

NOTE - The above OMAKE is based on a question that has long plagued Fans of the show…  If Rave's memories are imprinted on multiple bodies, is it a case of 'Body Snatching', or a case of 'Mind Snatching'?

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Afternoon #1.

Inside the shop, Rave looked at the range of flavours…

The range was not vast, but it did make Rave pause.  The list ran something like, Banana, Caramel, Chocolate, Coconut, Pineapple, Strawberry, Vanilla.

Rave considered her options, 'Shakey wants a flavour we have not tried before…  The only ones we have not tried, are Banana, Coconut, Pineapple, & Vanilla…  I have tried Caramel, but Shakey did not have any that time…'

Rave attacked her problem logically.  'Kantsee would like Vanilla, & Natsumi would like Caramel.  If I get those flavours, there is a chance they may share them…  That leaves either Banana, Coconut, or Pineapple…'

Rave looked at the list again, & made a decision…

"Please?" Rave asked the Shop Keeper, "May I have three Malted Milkshakes?"

"Sure," returned the Shop Keeper, "What flavours?"

"All of them," Rave replied.

The shop-keeper was puzzled, "All of them?  But you only want three Malts, & there are seven flavours?"

Rave shrugged, "Just put all seven flavours in the same drink."

The Shop Keeper sweat-dropped, "Err…  Are you sure about that?  Most people normally only have one flavour per Malt…"

"Hey," Rave quipped, "When a person with blue hair & red eyes comes into your store, 'normal' has already gone out the window…"

The Shop Keeper couldn't argue with that…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Muddying the Waters.

Because of the size of Glando's workload, not to mention the nature of his work, He often spent long hours in his office handling paperwork, or participating in high-level conferences.  Sometimes he spent days at a time in there…

So, it was from a purely practical need, & not from any sort of pampered Executive Ego, that there was an Ensuite attached to Glando's office.  As well as a Kitchenette, a bunk in a storage room, a compact laundry, & numerous telecommunication lines…

…Or at least, that was what Glando told anyone who'd listen…

The truth was MUCH different…

Glando, stingy penny pinching B-----D that he was, didn't actually HAVE an apartment of his own.  He just used his office to live & work in.

This explained why Glando's apartment was never shown in either the Anime or Manga TV series.  It also explained why Glando was able to 'stalk' the corridors of the NERVIS Base as often as he did.  When you actually DO live at your workplace, you can much more easily make it look as if you 'live' there…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Hidden Insight.

"Rave," Glando's voice took on an unusually gentle tone, "I think it best if you have a break from the testing schedule.  Rest for a few days, & regain your health.  You say you feel better, but I can still see the effects these tests have had on you."

Rave's head tilted lower.

Glando sighed, "Unfortunately, you'll have to stay down here.  Don't worry, I'll have a real bed brought in…  And an entertainment unit…  Some books as well…"

Rave stood silently, her head bowed.

"And…" Glando paused, searching for the right words, "…Oh I don't know, just SOMETHING to liven this drab place up!  Give it a little 'Joie de Vivre' dear girl…  Some nice Lace curtains perhaps?  A Deep Pile carpet?"

Glando minced around the cramped quarters, one hand on his hip, the other thoughtfully holding the chin beneath his delicately pursed lips.

A 'sensitive sigh' escaped Glando as once again, the Commander of the NERVIS Base gave in to his latent 'Interior Decorator' tendencies…

Rave stood silently, her head bowed in prayer to whatever Patron Saint looked after Clones, 'Please!  Don't let him use the Gold Lame wallpaper again…  Or the Leopard skin Linoleum Floor covering…  Or the fluffy toilet seat cover in Fluorescent Mauve with matching toilet brush…  Or the…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Game Pawns.

Glando smirked slightly as he noticed the change in the Clones attitude.

"Funding is to be arranged for the purposes of disguising yourselves.  The disguises in question, will include changing the colour & style of your hair, changing your skin colour with dyes, & the use of contact lenses to change your eye colour.  At this point in time, there will NOT be any 'plastic surgery', although that is an option that may be considered in the future."

The Clones seemed satisfied with that.

So did Glando…

'Heh, Heh!' Glando thought, 'Merchandising wise, this should be a NICE little earner!  We'll easily convince the Lovelorn Fanboy Retards to 'collect the set' of the new characters' Trading Cards, Dolls, Posters, Body-Pillows, etc…'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Soliloquy #1.

The soft words faded into silence.

"…you know what that means…"

"…afterwards…"

"…they'll abandon her…"

"…throw her away…"

"…just as they do with everyone else…"

The silence returned.

And remained firmly in place…

Eventually someone whispered, "Psst!  Have you forgotten your lines again?"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Soliloquy #2.

Long moments passed, & then the figure made its way out of the lab.  It paused at the threshold to look back in the Lab, as if to make sure no trace of its sojourn remained.  Straightening its posture, it turned to face the light in the corridor outside the Lab.

Then Glando Atari, 'Heartless B-----D in Charge', strode out into his domain…

…Or rather, fell over on his A--E, as he slipped on some debris…

"CUT!" Yelled the Fan Fiction Writer…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	10. 09 Consequences

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 09 "Consequences"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Trainees

Deep in the NERVIS Base, Rave Clones were undergoing 'Special Testing' under the watchful eye of several Instructors & Glando Atari.

In a room at one end of a long, curving corridor, several Clones sat quietly while waiting their turn at testing.  In a room at the far end of the corridor, out of sight of the first room, other Clones sat quietly, having had their turn at being tested.  In a room somewhere in the middle of the corridor, out of sight of the other rooms & separated from them by considerable distance & several empty rooms, a single Clone sat at a table, having just finished her latest 'test', that of assembling an intricate metal puzzle.

"Time!" the Chief Instructor pressed the 'stop' button on his stopwatch.

The Clone sat calmly in her chair, awaiting further orders.

The Chief Instructor spoke to the Clone, "You are now finished with this test.  You will now wait with those already tested.  Remember!  Do not divulge ANY details about this test to ANYONE.  By ANY means available to you.  Understand?"

"Yes Sir," the Clone replied.

The Clone stood & a Junior Instructor escorted her from the room.

"Well?" Glando asked after the door had closed behind the Clone.

The Chief Instructor consulted his stopwatch then replied, "1 minute 25 seconds overall, Sir!"

Glando seemed pleased by the reply, "Set up for the next one…"

The Chief Instructor covered the metal puzzle with a small box.  A few minutes later, the door opened, & another Junior Instructor ushered in a new Clone.

"Sit," the Chief Instructor said to the Clone.

The Clone sat at the table.

"You are going to be involved in a test," the Chief Instructor advised, "You must not divulge ANY details of this test to ANYONE.  Understand?"

"Yes Sir," replied the Clone.

Satisfied with the answer, the Chief Instructor continued, "You will be involved in a Manual Dexterity test.  You will first disassemble an item, then put it back together again.  You will be timed on each segment, & timed overall.  Shut your eyes!"

The Clone obediently shut her eyes, & the Chief Instructor lifted away the box that covered the puzzle.

"Start!" ordered the Chief Instructor, as he started the stopwatch.

The Clone opened her eyes, & swiftly went about the task of disassembling, then reassembling the intricate metal puzzle.  She was soon finished.

"Well?" Glando demanded after the latest test subject had left the room.

Once again the Chief Instructor consulted his stopwatch before replying, "1 minute 15 seconds overall, Sir!  A good time for a first attempt…"

"Yes," Glando replied in neutral tones, "Not bad at all…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Home Study.

Glando Atari walked along a drab corridor somewhere in a 'restricted' section of the NERVIS Base.  He came to a set of armoured doors, & paused to enter a multi-digit code into the keypad.  The doors slowly opened, granting Glando access to a small room, & another set of armoured doors.

Glando walked into the room & pressed a button on another keypad.  The doors he had just walked through began closing.  After they had shut & there had been a muffled thudding of bolts locking, Glando entered another code into the keypad, causing the next set of doors to slowly open.

Glando walked into a large room devoid of any fixture or furniture, other than enough generic camping equipment to provide for its occupants.

Spacious Dome tents stood in the middle of the room.  Camp stretchers could be seen through the insect-proof mesh of the tent doors, some stretchers bearing neatly arranged bedding, others bearing sleeping bodies.  A row of 'porta-potty' chemical toilets sat on the floor by the furthest wall.  The series of camping sinks set up near the toilets, drained into individual 44-gallon drums.  At a distance from the tents & the toilets, a portable electric stove was plugged into a wall outlet, several large pots on it sending delicious aromas wafting through the room.

Several tables stood on the other sides of the tent to the kitchen, their surfaces weighted down with a variety of books, magazines, & DVD/CD-ROMs.  A pair of laptop computers stood on one relatively bare table, their power cables leading off to a hand trolley on which several car batteries rested.

Seated on ergonomic office chairs at the table bearing the laptops, two Rave Clones watched Glando approach.  Glando stopped at the edge of the table, & quietly watched the pair of Clones seated on the other side.

For the past few days, the Clones in this room had been kept separate from the others.  Unlike Rave#3, Glando was the only other person who knew of their situation.

…Or of what the Clones were really doing in the room…

"What's the weather like outside?" Glando casually asked, looking at one of the Clones in particular.

"I don't know," the Clone replied, "I haven't been out all day…"

"And you?" Glando asked the other.

"Dunno," the Clone shrugged her shoulders, "I've been stuck in here…"

Glando smiled…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Travelogue.

Fu2ok walked into Glando's office, carrying a weighty briefcase.

Glando looked up from his desk as the elderly professor approached, "Welcome back Professor, I trust your sabbatical was… refreshing?"

"Quite," Fu2ok replied in droll tones, "I think you'll want to see the 'light' reading material I picked up…"

Fu2ok grunted as he hoisted the briefcase onto Glando's desk.  He opened the briefcase, & took out numerous folders & books.

"These are the only copies," Fu2ok remarked, "If you want a brief synopsis, I can give you that as well.  Shouldn't take more than a minute…"

Glando looked over the other material on his desk, "What pieces of this material can most quickly be assimilated, & then gotten rid of?"

Fu2ok picked out four thin folders, "These reports are the most essential.  The rest can be destroyed, they're just the original raw notes, they've all been summarised in these four folders…"

"The brief version," Glando ordered.

"All right," Fu2ok's posture straightened up as he went into Lecture Mode, "One, the Clones are indeed telepathic.  We've just proven that beyond any doubt.  Two, distance doesn't seem to affect the ability.  The Clones I took to South Africa, were still able to communicate with the Clones in Japan without any perceivable problems.  Three, your 'Accumulated Experience Effect' Theory has also been proven as well."

"Excellent!" Glando hissed.

"However…" Fu2ok said quietly, "There were… unexpected side-effects…"

"Such as?" a note of concern crept into Glando's voice.

Fu2ok frowned, "As distance didn't affect their telepathy, I wondered what might.  Remember, we tried communications between Japan & South Africa, the other side of the earth, without having any problems.  I tried to find out HOW they were doing it, figuring that if we could find out, then… 'other people' might also find out, & use it against us.  To that effect, we tried the usual types of electro-magnetic monitoring."

Fu2ok sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, "All to no avail.  We couldn't find what frequency or wavelength they were using.  So we tried to 'block' their telepathy, figuring that might be a key to it…" he trailed off.

Fu2ok looked Glando meaningfully in the eye, "We couldn't do that either…"

Glando sat up straight at his desk, "What do you mean?"

Fu2ok shrugged, "We were unable to prevent communication from taking place.  Even when the Clones were in a lead bunker, they were still able to communicate.  Even when we used a Faraday shield, or used electromagnetic jamming signals, they could STILL communicate with the other Clones in Japan."

"This is… unexpected…" Glando muttered.

"There's more," Fu2ok said with a grim face, "We tested the 'Accumulated Experience Effect' theory using a metal puzzle.  As per the testing guidelines, all of the Clones were divided into three groups.  Two groups were kept sedated while a third group took the test, no two groups being conscious at the same time as each other."

Fu2ok picked a thin folder out of the pile on the desk, & held it out to Glando, "This is the raw data on the Clones we tested in South Africa…"

Glando took the folder, & read the brief message inside it, his features contorting slightly as the information sank in.

Fu2ok hammered the point home, "Despite being on the other side of the world, & despite being unconscious while the other groups took their tests, the FIRST attempts by the Clones in South Africa at solving the puzzle, all came within 5 seconds of the BEST time recorded so far…"

"So," Glando muttered, "They accumulate experience, regardless of conscious interaction with each other…"

"Atari," Fu2ok face was lined with fear & worry, "STEELY won't like this…"

"Who says they're going to find out?" Glando opened a drawer in his desk & put the folder in it.

The grinding noise of a security shredder sounded briefly…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Plans.

Fu2ok stood in Glando's office, staring at Glando in shock.  "Atari!" he gasped, "STEELY will find out about this!"

"Not from us they won't," Glando stated with finality, "Nor from those involved, & certainly not from these reports.  You did say these were the only copies?"

"Err…  Yes," Fu2ok agreed, "I made sure of that…  Used brand new books, & put random scribbles on every second page, to deter forensic analysis…"

Glando smirked, "…And since you were served by trusted staff, loyal only to me…  You needn't worry about any 'idle chatter'…"

Fu2ok conceded the argument, "I see your point…"

The security shredder in Glando's desk churned noisily, as it turned loads of written material into illegible confetti.

"I take it you'll burn the scraps as well?" Fu2ok dryly asked.

"Of course Professor," Glando smirked, "I am nothing, if not thorough…"

"Four small folders," Fu2ok mused, comparing the items to be kept against the rapidly disappearing stack of 'waste' materials on Glando's desk, "Yet their contents could do so much damage…  It's true what they say, Knowledge IS Power…"

"Not quite," Glando countered, "It's the ability to correctly use knowledge that grants power.  'All the oceans of the world cannot sink a ship, unless they get inside…'  Or so the saying goes…"

Fu2ok snorted in dark humour, "You think STEELY will give us a burial at sea if they find out what we're doing?"

Glando ignored the comment.

"You should use thinner notebooks Professor," Glando had problems trying to feed one particularly thick notebook through the shredder.  Finally, he tore the notebook apart, & fed it in, a piece at a time, "Still, I'm glad you've returned.  I need your opinions on some… other test results…"

"Oh?"

"I had the Third stay in seclusion, while other Clones took turns impersonating her at School.

"Did it work?"

"Perfectly," Glando purred, "No one noticed any difference.  Not even Shakey…"

Fu2ok looked uneasy, "You'd use your own son to test a theory?"

"Of course," Glando retorted, "He's one of the few people who knows Rave well enough, to BE of any use in such a test."

"What does 'Rave' think about the situation?"

"She knows what's at stake.  She will follow orders…"

Fu2ok shook his head, "I still think you're expecting too much of her.  No normal person could go along with such a charade…"

"Rave isn't a normal person," Glando replied in deadpan tones, "You should know that, since you helped me make her what she is…"

"The Horrors of Unskilled Workmanship," Fu2ok mumbled under his breath.

"Come now Professor," Glando gently rebuked, "Even God made a rough draft before She created Woman…"

Fu2ok didn't reply to the blasphemous barb.

Glando put the last of the books through the shredder, "Based on your verbal report, I've decided to advance the schedule.  Starting today, the Clones will start interacting with the real world."

"Are you sure?  They haven't been training long…"

Glando smiled, "You forget, they don't need to…  I anticipated success, & had already implemented a 'crash course' for several of the Clones.  The first team have successfully completed training, so the rest should pass with honours…"

"Impossible!" Fu2ok protested, "It's just not enough time!"

"On the contrary," Glando seemed amused, "As this tape will show…  Observe…"

Glando pressed a button on his desk, & a part of it flipped up to reveal a small monitor.  A picture of a typical shopping Mall appeared.

"Look closely," ordered Glando, "Tell me if you can spot the Clones?"

Fu2ok looked long & hard at the screen, his eyes roving over the many different people milling about in the image.  His brow furrowed as he scrutinised faces, & general appearances.  Finally, he admitted defeat, "No, I can't say that I can…"

"Let me give you a hint," offered Glando, "They're in front of the Budget Fashion Store…"

"Them?" Fu2ok exclaimed in disbelief, "The ones in the jeans & T-shirts?

Glando was nearly laughing, "YES, Professor…  The ones in the jeans & T-shirts.  What were you expecting to see?  Carbon copies of Rave?"

Fu2ok looked slightly put out, "So…  How did you do the hair?  Wigs?"

"No.  Permanent dye jobs.  They'll need to keep 'touching up' the hair roots, but it's the best way of disguising their natural hair colour."

Fu2ok peered intently at the screen again, "Their skin colour, another dye job?  Or just makeup?"

"A version of 'Tan in a Bottle', altered for their own use…"

Fu2ok nodded grudgingly, "All right, I'll grant you that they LOOK like normal girls, but can they ACT like normal girls?"

"And how do 'normal' girls act?" Glando retorted, "For every girl who fits the advertising agencies idea of an 'average' girl, there are at least a dozen other personality types, not to mention body types…"

"Still, it may not work…" Fu2ok cautioned, "Real Life has a habit of throwing you problems when you least expect it."

"I have already taken care of that," Glando said dismissively, "Those Clones in public, will be monitored by Security, & have backup intellectual support from other Clones in the Secure Accommodation building."

"Back-up intellectual support?"

"Think of it as an actor on the stage, being able to rely on a prompter if his memory fails & he forgets his lines.  Only in this case, the Clones will be supplying support in the way of Social Etiquette, jargon, customs, etc…"

"Yes," Fu2ok warily agreed, "That might just work…"

"It will work," Glando insisted, "And the Clones will improve as time passes."

"So how many will participate?"

"That depends on their test scores in piloting AVE."

Fu2ok blinked, "Test scores?  What's that got to do with it?"

Glando paused before answering, "Those with the most capability of piloting Unit Won, will imitate a black haired character.  Those with lesser abilities will be allocated dark brown, brown, light brown, blue, red or blond hair."

"Why?" asked Fu2ok suspiciously, "Why base hair colour on Piloting abilities?"

"Because it pays to give your greatest assets, better camouflage."

Fu2ok looked puzzled, "What do you mean, 'better camouflage'?"

Glando took deep breath, "Exactly that.  STEELY is liable to intervene at any time.  When they do, we have the choice of 'going quietly into the night', or we can try & change what fate they intend for us."

"You intend to fight?"

"Correct!" Glando stated coldly, "History has proven time & again, that Guerrilla warfare is the most effective weapon against a superior force.  Strike fast, strike hard, then fade away before your enemy can retaliate.  If STEELY does attack, the only chance we will have, is if we can confuse them."

Fu2ok nodded, "I see.  You plan to have the Clones hide in the Community if such an attack should occur, making them harder to find.  If those most able to pilot AVE aren't 'conspicuous', then they should be able to move about without attracting undue attention.  They could slip right past STEELY troops…"

Fu2ok frowned, "But…  Why have Clones with blond, blue, or red hair?  Surely it would create even greater confusion if STEELY had to search for…"

Fu2ok stopped, a queasy look passing over his face…

"Atari…" Fu2ok almost whispered in horror, "Please tell me that you're not going to use those hair colours for what I think you will…"

"It's an unescapable fact, that people die in wars…" Glando said darkly, "If the death of a few gives the many a better chance to…"

"THEY'RE CHILDREN D--N IT!" Fu2ok shouted, "And there you are, intending to use some of them, the 'worthless ones', as expendable DECOY TARGETS?"

Glando stayed silent.

"Well?" demanded Fu2ok, "Answer me D--N IT!  TELL me I'm wrong?"

"I'm sorry Professor," Glando said quietly, "I know how much Rave means to you, but unless we defeat STEELY, we will ALL die.  Rave included.  If you can give me a better plan, I will listen.  If it can be determined that your plan has a greater chance of success, I WILL implement it.  If not…"

Silence fell in the office, & stretched into minutes.

Glando spoke in low tones, "I am not a monster.  I am only a man caught up in the fight against them.  If I must use the tactics of my enemy to win the fight, I will.  Defeat is NOT an option.  You KNOW what will happen if we fail…"

Fu2ok stood silently, his fists white-knuckled with emotion.  Eventually he released a shuddering sigh, & his posture slumped.

"All right, Atari," Fu2ok sighed, "You win again.  D--N you…  I'll play along…"

"Thank you.  Your assistance is appreciated."

"But I still don't like it!"

Glando gave Fu2ok an annoyed look, "I never said you had to…"

"Have you spoken to Rave about this?"

Glando paused, "Not yet.  But she will go along with it."

"Why?" Fu2ok snarled, "Because she's been raised to see herself as expendable?"

"No," Glando calmly replied, "Because she has developed a Bond with my son."

Fu2ok's eyes widened, "What sort of 'Bond' are we talking about?"

Glando glared at Fu2ok, "Not that sort!  Don't worry, Rave is still a…'Nice Girl'…  And I know she'll stay that way…"

"But… still," Fu2ok persisted, "Does she know?  About…?"

"She only knows what she needs to," Glando replied cryptically.

An expression of distaste crossed Fu2ok's face.

Glando noticed it, & continued, "Many who died in Second Strike, never had the chance to find happiness.  Rave has grown up without any friends.  Now it appears she may have one.  Since we may all die soon, where is the harm in letting her live & be happy, like any other child?"

Fu2ok wasn't buying it, "And I suppose that her 'friendship' won't have the slightest impact on motivating her to fight when & how you need her to?"

Glando didn't reply…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Groceries & Girls.

Sunday morning in Mazurka's apartment, & Shakey was feeling rather hungry…  'I'm starving, better get something to eat…'

However, on investigating the resources of Mazurka's kitchen, all Shakey could find, were the usual fifty gallons of Beer Mazurka kept in one fridge, some dodgy looking instant noodles **3** months past their 'use by' date, a bare tablespoon of breakfast cereal, and…

'What… IS that???' Shakey kept a safe distance from the unidentifiable, yet clearly 'biologically active' contents of the 'food' fridge.

Shakey's stomach rumbled, insisting on being filled, 'Look's like we… I'LL have to go & do some shopping…  As usual…'

"Um… Mazurka?" Shakey asked the pile of gently snoring bedding in Mazurka's room, "We need to get some more food in?"

"Mmmm…" Mazurka drowsily replied, obviously enjoying her sleep in, "Shakey, be a dear & do the shopping?  Take the 'Grocery' card & get the things delivered…"

'Same old Mazurka,' Shakey resigned himself to doing it himself, "Sure thing, Mazurka!  No Problems…"

Shakey retrieved the Household 'Groceries' card from Mazurka's wallet, & started for the door.  He paused halfway, 'Mazurka was barely awake…  I'd better leave her a note…'

A quick note on the fridge door reminding Mazurka where he was going, & then Shakey was out the door, & on his way to the local Supermarket…

Shakey drooled at the thought of what he was going to get, 'Fresh Bread!  Eggs!  Steak!  Cheese!  Vegetables!  Milk!  Sliced meat from the Delicatessen!'

Unfortunately, a traffic light delayed him, & his stomach grumbled again.

"Oh, shut up!" Shakey mumbled at his rebellious inner organ.

"Please excuse us," said a soft voice from behind Shakey, startling him.

'Oh no!' Shakey wondered, 'Did someone hear me talking to myself, & think I was talking to them instead?'  He turned with an apology on his lips, only to fall mute as he suddenly found himself face to face with two girls his own age.

Two pairs of brown eyes peered out from lightly tanned faces sporting a few freckles.  Shoulder length hair of brown for one girl, & black for the other, was swept back into ponytails held in place by baseball caps.  Outfits of coloured T-Shirts, open vests, jeans, & sneakers completed the picture.

"Could you please help us, young man?" the brown-haired girl asked politely.

"Uh…" Shakey mumbled, more than slightly embarrassed.

"We're new in the area," said the black-haired one, "And we were wondering where the local supermarket was."

"Could you please show us?" the brown-haired one asked.

"S-Sure!" Shakey rallied, "I was going there myself, so I'll be happy to show you the way…"

"Thank you," the two girls chorused in unison.

"It's down this way…" Shakey led the way as the traffic light changed, "It's only just opened here in the last week…"

"Oh?  Is it a new supermarket?" from the black-haired girl.

"Not really," admitted Shakey, "It's just… changed positions a lot recently…"

Which was only to be expected, what with the City being demolished & rebuilt every few months.

"May I ask your name, young man?" the brown-haired girl spoke up.

"Shakey, Shakey Atari," Shakey replied, "But please, just call me Shakey…"

"Very well, Shakey," replied the black-haired girl, "I'm Kuroko Musume…"

"…And I'm her twin sister Chairoko Musume," the brown-haired one informed.

"Please call us Kuroko/Chairoko," the twin voices chimed in unison.  (Use Kanji of Kuro = black, Chairo = brown, ko = child or daughter, Musume =daughter)

"Uh…  Okay…" Shakey was somewhat taken aback.

"Does the Supermarket ever have any specials?" asked Kuroko.

"Sometimes," Shakey's shyness evaporated as he warmed to a topic he was familiar with, "It depends on the time of day & week for REAL bargains though…"

"Oh?" Chairoko inquired, "Such as?"

Shakey went into great details for the rest of the short trip…

At the supermarket itself, Shakey did the 'neighbourly thing', & helped the Twins with their shopping.  He helped them spot the bargains & avoid the dud deals that lurked in every aisle, waiting to snare an unwary shopper…

Shakey was amazed at the sheer volume of things the Twins bought.  Mostly instant meals & powdered drinks, there were also a lot of canned & fresh vegetables & fruits.  Cleaning & hygiene supplies made up the rest.

'They said they'd just moved into the area,' Shakey reasoned, 'They must be trying to stock up their apartment in one go…'

At the checkout, Shakey was more than a little amazed when the girls didn't ask for their large order to be home delivered.

'They're going to carry all that?' Shakey was aghast, 'That's too much for two grown men to carry…  Let alone a couple of girls…'

"Err…  Are you sure you don't want it delivered?" Shakey asked.

"No.  We will carry it," replied Kuroko.

"Besides," added Chairoko, "We have to go out later today, & it would not be convenient for the delivery person."

Shakey chewed his lip, 'I can't let them try & carry that all by themselves…  It's not just the weight, it's the awkwardness of the load…'

"I can help you carry it back to your place," offered Shakey, "Th-that is," he stammered, "If it's all right with you?"

"But what about your shopping?" asked Kuroko.

"We don't want to be a burden…" added Chairoko.

"Oh, it's no problem!" Shakey reassured them, "We always get our stuff delivered to our apartment.  We're regulars here…"

Shakey suddenly found himself the recipient of two rather cute smiles as the girls nodded in unison.  So it was, that Shakey Atari came to carry the shopping of the Twins back to their apartment block.  Fortunately for him, their destination was only a few blocks away from the Supermarket, although not in the same direction as Mazurka's.

Shakey was VERY impressed when he saw the apartment block the girls lived in.  Looking brand sparklingly new, the modern 12-storey building had full security grilles enclosing its lowest level.  Then there were the fancy stained glass panels fully enclosing the walkways.  Although, the artistic style of the building was somewhat marred by the armament building it backed onto…

'Still,' thought Shakey, 'In this city, you have to take whatever you can get…'

Shakey had a second piece of luck, in that the Twins lived on the first floor of the building, above the ground level car park.  This small piece of information was welcome news to his tired arms, & bag-handle creased palms.

'Anti-Insect lights?' Shakey noted the yellow fluorescent tubes in the hallway outside the Twins apartment, 'Should keep the insects away at night…'

"Shakey, Thank you for helping us today," said Kuroko.

"Would you like a drink in return for your kindness?" asked Chairoko, "We have water & soft drinks…"

"Oh no…  That won't be necessary," Shakey replied sheepishly, feeling pleasantly embarrassed, "I was happy to help…"

"Will we see you at school on Monday?" asked Kuroko.

"School?" Shakey repeated dumbly.

"Yes," clarified Chairoko, "We will be attending the local school from next week, as soon as our paperwork is finalised.

"Um…  Well, I guess I'll see you there then…" Shakey shrugged, not really comfortable when making small talk with strangers, even Cute & Friendly ones…

"Yes," confirmed Kuroko.

"You Will," added Chairoko.

Both of the girls smiled at Shakey making him feel shyly embarrassed.  Not knowing what else to say or do, Shakey decided to leave.  "I'd really better be going…" he mumbled, heading for the door.

"May we please have your address & phone number?" Chairoko asked quietly.

"Muh-my address & ph-phone number?" Shakey turned red at the thought that a girl, ANY girl, would ask him for that information.

"Yes," Kuroko smiled, "We are new in the area, & we would like to stay in touch with the new friends we make."

'Uh oh!' Shakey had a not-so-vague feeling of impending doom, 'What will Mazurka make of some girls phoning me?'

A sudden vision of Mazurka gleefully humming the 'Here comes the Bride' tune whenever the girls called him, ran through Shakey's mind…

'I could give them the number of my cell phone…' Shakey rationalised, 'Then Mazurka might not find out…  Then again, Mazurka would probably find out anyway…  Oh, man!  In that case, she'd only tease me more about it…'

A vision of Mazurka making comments about Shakey having 'clandestine meetings' with a 'secret lover' popped up in his mind.

'Best if Mazurka knows about it from the start,' Shakey decided, 'And that everything's out in the open…  She'll tease me about it…  But not as bad as if I tried to make it look like I was trying to keep it a secret…'

"Uh…  S-sure" Shakey stuttered, "I-I'll give you my Guardian's phone number…  We've got an answering machine, so you can call anytime…"

Shortly thereafter, Shakey Atari was on his way home, desperately wondering how to tell Mazurka that people, 'Girl type people', might actually phone him.

Seconds after Shakey had left the building, the door to the Musume Twins apartment opened.  Several blue-haired Rave Clones walked in & started to unwrap & distribute what 'Chairoko' & 'Kuroko' had purchased.

It worked! sent 'Kuroko', Shakey did not recognise us!

It appears so confirmed Clone#135, in the Intensive Care Ward.

It is just as the Commander said Clone#92, preparing dinner in the Clone Zone.

Some simple changes… Clone#56 at the Loading Dock.

Hairstyle & eye colours… Clone#37 as she practiced Tai Chi.

Speech mannerisms… several Clones in the Test Facilities.

…clothes… The Clone known as Rave#3, from her secret accommodation.

And even those closest to us will not recognise us… Clone#115

Especially if they are 'used to' our normal appearance… 'Chairoko'

The Clones paused to consider the ramifications of what had just happened.

If Shakey did not recognise us… Rave#3

Does that mean he is always that helpful to others? Clone#75

If he is… Clone#13, having a shower.

Does this mean he truly accepts we Clones, as he does normal girls? Clone#85

If so… Clone#120, from the physiotherapy centre.

Do we have as good a chance as any normal girl, of becoming his Girlfriend?

The Clones all smiled as a pleasant feeling grew within them.

What is this feeling? the Group Mind asked itself.

It is… Agreeable…

Is it… Hope?

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Explanations.

"YeeeHAAAA!" crowed Mazurka, after chugging her first beer for the morning.

Shakey ate his breakfast in silence.

"Why are you so glum?" Mazurka had a slight frown on her face.

Shakey chewed his food thoroughly, using the simple action to delay his answer.

Outwardly calm, Shakey was a quivering jelly inside, & for a VERY good reason.  He still hadn't been able to find an acceptable way of telling Mazurka that he might have some girls phone him.

"Are you worried about Schoolwork?" Mazurka pressed.

Shakey paused, then chickened out & slowly nodded his head.

"Well," a sly tone crept into Mazurka's words, "You COULD ask Rave if she'd like to become your 'Private Tutor'…"

Shakey nearly choked on the food he was eating.

"I'm SURE she wouldn't mind…" Mazurka grinned at Shakey's reaction.

Shakey stayed silent, looking at his breakfast with some embarrassment.

"That IS it?  Isn't it?" Mazurka's suspicions were making her worry, "Just problems with Schoolwork?  No more rumours you need help with?"

"Uh…  Well…" Shakey wasn't too sure if having girls phone him fell into the 'rumours' category, although he knew certain people MIGHT take it that way.  Or else MAKE it that way…

"Out with it!" Mazurka demanded, "Tell me what's up!"

"Nothing…" an embarrassed Shakey whined.

"I have ways to make you talk," Mazurka intoned ominously, a serious look on her face as she reached out & grabbed Shakey…

…And started to tickle him unmercifully…

"M-muz-urG-Ka!" Shakey gasped as he fell to the floor, rolling from side to side to protect his ticklish ribs from Mazurka's hands.

Mazurka didn't let Shakey escape, instead she sat on him, stopping his efforts to get away from her, & kept up her attack.

"Talk!" Mazurka demanded with an Evil Grin, "Tell me everything you know!"

A sudden knock at the door prevented Shakey from having to make any reply.

"Well," Mazurka drawled with a wink, "I wonder who THAT could be?"

A sense of dread went through Shakey at the thought of being found in his current situation.  The fact that Rave had recently started walking him to school, gave him a good idea of who was at the door.

'Oh no!' Shakey's eyes went wide in alarm, 'What if Mazurka tells Rave this is some sort of Pilot Training exercise, & asks her to take over?'  A vision of a serious faced Rave, sitting on Shakey, & conscientiously tickling him to death ran through Shakey's mind.

"C'mon in!" Mazurka yelled, "It's not locked!"

The door opened to reveal a solitary figure…

Kantsee Hayeater…

Mazurka blinked…

Shakey blinked…

Kantsee blinked…

"Err…  Good Morning Major Kutsarug!" Kantsee quickly recovered, bowing politely for emphasis, "Is Shakey ready for school yet?"

Mazurka was only slightly fazed by the unexpected appearance of the Cyber-Nerd.  "Err…  He's nearly ready," she sheepishly admitted.

"Be right with you!" Shakey advised, wriggling out from under Mazurka.

Within seconds, Shakey was out the door & speedily departing the apartment.

"God I envy you Atari!" Kantsee sobbed, "First Imanonymous, & now the Major!  The rumours didn't do you Justice!"

"Oh for the love of…" Shakey groaned, "Look!  I haven't DONE anything, with ANYONE!  NOT with Rave, & CERTAINLY not with Mazurka!"

"Well then," asked Kantsee, "Would you care to explain what I just saw?"

"I had… things on my mind…  And… and…" words failed Shakey.

"Oh?" Kantsee asked with an arched eyebrow, "And would these 'things' happen to be 'attached' to anyone I know?  Imanonymous, or Major Kutsarug perhaps?"

"KANTSEE!" Shakey exclaimed with red-faced exasperation, "It's not LIKE that!"

"You sure?"

"YES!" Shakey said with determination, "Mazurka was teasing me…  Like always!  And things just got…  As they did…"

"So that wasn't a 'fringe benefit' of being an AVE Pilot?"

"Of course not!"

"D--N!" Kantsee swore whole-heartedly, then after a moment's reflection, he slyly asked, "So what ARE the 'fringe benefits' like then?"

"There aren't any!" Shakey whined unhappily, "Unless… having humiliatingly 'personal' medical examinations on a regular basis counts…"

Kantsee looked long & hard at his friend.  "Atari…" Kantsee said slowly, "You're trying to tell me…  That despite being an AVE Pilot-Jock…"

Shakey winced at the term.

"…who saves the World on a regular basis…  You STILL can't attract the chicks?"

Shakey sighed, "Girls hardly speak to me…  When they do, they only ask me how Aesir's doing in Hospital…  I guess… I'm not the sort of guy that girls like…"

"You sure?" Kantsee pressed, "Rave seems to like you…  And she's a girl…"

Shakey opened his mouth to make a comment, but stopped as something Mazurka had told him surfaced in his brain, 'The Clones like you.'

"I…" Shakey muttered under his breath, "I work with them…  But…"

"But?" Kantsee kept up the pressure.

"It's… complex…" Shakey understated, "As far as normal girls go, I'm just not very popular…  They…"

"Good Morning Shakey!" chorused two young female voices.

Shakey & Kantsee both stopped & looked in the direction of the hail.  Two teenage girls stood nearby, dressed in the school uniform of Shakey & Kantsee's school.

"K-Kuroko?  Chairoko?" their unexpected presence off balanced Shakey.

"We said we'd see you at school," Kuroko reminded him.

"Who are they?" Kantsee whispered to Shakey, "More Pilots?"

"NO!" Shakey snapped, before continuing in more normal tones, "Uh…  I mean…  Ladies?  I'd like you to meet my friend, Mr Kantsee Hayeater."

"Pleased To Meet You, Mr Hayeater," the twins chorused.

"Kantsee, Please Meet Ms Kuroko Musume, & Ms Chairoko Musume!" Shakey gestured politely to each of the girls as he named them.

Kantsee bowed politely, "Ladies, I Am Pleased To Meet You!"

The Twins chorused, "We've only just arrived in the neighbourhood, & will be attending your school from this week."

"Oh?" an inquisitive gleam appeared in Kantsee's glasses, "Newcomers?  May I enquire what your parents do for a living?"

The girls paused before Chairoko answered, "We don't have any, Mr Hayeater…"

Shakey gulped nervously, 'Just like Natsumi…'

"The Government looks after us," Kuroko continued, "We have a Guardian…"

Kantsee looked rather unhappy with himself, "I'm sorry…  I didn't know…"

"Don't worry," Chairoko reached out to gently pat Kantsee's shoulder, "We are used to such questions…"

"D-does your Guardian live with you as well?" Shakey tried to salvage the situation.

"No," Kuroko replied, "Due to budget constraints, we share our Guardian with many others.  We live by ourselves as part of a new Government program."

"Isn't that sort of… dangerous?" there was real concern in Shakey's voice, "I mean, two young ladies living all by themselves…?"

"We are not in any danger," Chairoko said, "We live in a Secure Building, & there are others who look out for us."

"Besides," Kuroko added, "We have taken Self-Defence courses…"

"Yeah… but… still…" Shakey didn't sound convinced.

"What are you doing for lunch today Shakey?" Chairoko quickly changing the subject.

"L-lunch?" the change of topic caught Shakey off-guard.

"Yes," confirmed Kuroko, before asking, "Would you like to have lunch with us?"

"Huh…?" the offer took Shakey completely by surprise.

"We'd like to pay you back for helping us the other day," clarified Chairoko.

"…say 'yes' you idiot…" Kantsee urgently whispered, remembering the conversation with Shakey over AVE Pilot 'fringe benefits', or rather, the lack of same.

"…I… guess so…" Shakey reluctantly agreed, feeling more than slightly uneasy with the situation.

"Good!" both girls chimed, "We'll see you at lunch time then!"

During their conversation, the foursome had arrived at the School gates.

"See you later," said Kuroko.

"We need to get our papers finalised at the Office," clarified Chairoko.

"I'll take you there!" offered Shakey.

"Thank you, but we know where it is," stated Kuroko.

"We do not want to make you late for class," said Chairoko.

"Oh well then…  See you at lunch I guess…" Shakey acquiesced gracefully.

Shakey stood at the School gates, & watched the girls walk off, still feeling slightly dazed.  A nearby snuffling sound brought him back to reality.

"God I envy you Atari!" Kantsee sobbed piteously, hamming it up for all he was worth, "They've only been in town a few days, & already they've fallen for your Manly charm!  Oh!  Why can't I be as Macho as you are?"

"Oh, Shut Up!" Shakey sighed in exasperation, hitting Kantsee good-naturedly.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Points of Interest.

Shakey & Kantsee made it to their class in plenty of time.  When they got there, Shakey was taken aback when he saw Rave Imanonymous sitting at her desk.

"Good morning Rave!" Kantsee said with Jovial Flair, "And how are you today?'

Rave inclined her head slightly by way of a nod, "I am well thank you, Kantsee."

As Shakey looked at Rave greet Kantsee, he felt guilty.  'Did Rave want to walk to school with me this morning?' he wondered, 'Did she go to Mazurka's, only to find I wasn't there?'

"G-good Morning Rave," Shakey offered.

Rave looked at Shakey with her usual neutral expression.  "Good Morning Shakey," she said, again, with her usual neutral expression.

'Oh no,' Shakey thought worriedly, 'She's upset…  Was it because I wasn't…'

Shakey's dark thoughts were interrupted, as Rave looked directly in his eyes, & gave a brief smile at him.  'Huh?' Shakey wondered, 'She's not upset with me?'

Just then, their teacher walked in.  Hickory Harikari went into her usual Classroom Monitor routine of 'Stand, Bow, Sit'.  Shakey followed suit, & by the time he'd sat down, Rave was looking out the window, as per her usual habit.

"Today," said the Old Teacher, "We will continue our studies of the World as it was before Second Strike…"

The class sighed restlessly at their inescapable fate of having yet another day go straight down the toilet…

"But before I begin," the teacher advised, "I have an announcement to make…"

The class was instantly suspicious.  Knowing their luck, it was probably a 'pop' quiz…

"We will be getting some new students today, and…"

The Class was now completely alert.

"…they'll be here sometime before lunch.  I want all of you to make them feel welcome, & to make their time with us both memorable, & pleasant.

The students had listened eagerly to the Old Teacher's every word.  When he started to drone out his lecture, it was accompanied by a background buzzing of muted whisperings, & the covert tapping of keys as students sent messages to each other, speculating on the new students.

Many found it hard to believe…

*New Students?  Coming here?  To OUR class?*

*I hope we get some hot-looking chicks.  We sure could use some around here!*

*I hope we get some hot-looking GUYS!  The ones we've got aren't very 'Manly'!*

*Oh Yeah?*

*YEAH!*

Along with the 'flame war' that erupted on the student noticeboard, a student betting ring quickly sprang into existence.  How many students were there?  How many of each gender?  What were their Physical characteristics?  Their favourite things, such as sports, foods etc.

Kantsee sat & thought hard, a slight frown on his face…

'This is a City often under attack…  Who in their right mind would come here if they could avoid it?  My own Dad isn't happy about me living here…  Despite the free Housing, Medical & Schooling NERVIS provides for employees, he'd really prefer I lived somewhere safer…  If it wasn't for the Official NERVIS Security guidelines on anti-terrorist/anti-espionage tactics, he'd surely send me away…'

Kantsee's brows furrowed in concentrated rationalisation, 'Unless… they were OBLIGATED to come here as part of some duty to the Government…  Or to NERVIS!  Hmmm…  Shakey meets two new girls in the neighbourhood…  Both of them about our age…  Both of them enrolling at this school today…'

Kantsee shot a suspicious glance over at Shakey, 'Shakey said they weren't Pilots…  But…  Would he KNOW if they were?  He didn't know about Toe-jam being a Pilot…  Huh!  He didn't even notice when Major Kutsarug got promoted that time…'

Kantsee smiled as he concluded, 'How very, VERY interesting this all is…  Two new girls…  Orphans, sponsored by a Government department…  Who live in a 'secure apartment building'…  Who not only enrol at our school, but just HAPPEN to be in our class!'

Kantsee studied the student betting pool, before placing some well-informed bets of his own…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - New Arrivals.

An hour after class began, a knock sounded at the door to Shakey's classroom.  The Old Teacher stopped his monotonous monologue, & went to see who it was.

The fact that the Old Teacher left the classroom for a full minute, had all of the students alert & eager to see what would happen next.

When the Teacher returned, he addressed his class in formal tones.  "Class.  I would like you to welcome our newest transfer students…"

All heads faced towards the doorway…

Through the doorway came the two girls that had spoken to Shakey & Kantsee that morning on the way to school.  They stopped in front of the class & looked out at their new classmates with cute smiles.

"Hello, I am Kuroko Musume," said Kuroko, who then wrote her name on the Blackboard.

"Hello, I am her Twin sister, Chairoko Musume," said Chairoko, before writing her name on the Blackboard.

"And we're Pleased to meet you all!" both girls bowed politely.

Hickory Harikari stood up, "As Classroom Monitor, I'd like to welcome you to our class.  Class?  Stand, Bow, Sit!"

The class followed Hickory's orders, welcoming the new girls into their educational community.

"Now then," commented the Old Teacher, "If you Ladies would choose a seat…"

The two girls walked into the rows of seats.  Many of the other students looked eagerly at the newcomers, hoping for whatever reason that either of the two girls would sit next to them.  But the two girls seemed unaware of the hopeful looks on the faces of their fellow students.  Kuroko sat in the chair directly to the right of Shakey, while Chairoko sat in the chair directly behind him.

'Ack!' Shakey was alarmed, 'I'm surrounded by girls!  I'd better watch what I do & say in future, or I might get into trouble…'

Feeling self-conscious because of the girls sitting near him, Shakey applied himself to appearing to be a model student.  Since he was totally focussed on the teacher & the lecture, Shakey didn't really notice the envious looks he got from some of the other students in his class.

At lunchtime, the new girls suddenly found themselves the centre of attention.  The rest of the class mobbed them, asking a wide range of questions, & making a wide range of offers from homework assistance, guided tours, dates, & of course, sharing lunch.

It wasn't just the students in Shakey's class either…

The news that two new students had transferred into the school, let alone the fact they were two cute girls, had attracted the attention of many other students from neighbouring classes.  As well as various representatives from the sporting, social, & hobby clubs at the school.

"We are sorry," Kuroko advised the mob, "But we have already made arrangements for lunch."

Many hopeful faces fell at the announcement.

"Shakey?" asked Chairoko, "Is it still all right to have lunch with you?"

The fact that Shakey Atari, the boy known as the Human Wallflower, had a 'lunch date' with the newest girls in school, caused surprise to many.  And no little amount of resentment either…

Shakey nodded nervously, not reassured in the least by the mob around him…

"It is a nice day," observed Kuroko, "Shall we eat outside?"

Shakey shrugged, & took his lunch out of his schoolbag.  As he stood to follow the girls outside, he saw a flash of familiar blue hair in the crowd.

'Rave!' guilt assailed Shakey's thoughts, 'We've been having lunch together for awhile now…  What should I do?  Will she feel left out?  Especially after this morning?'  He agonised for a moment, then pushed his way over to his friend.

"Rave?" Shakey asked hesitantly, "W-would you like to join me & the new girls?  F-for lunch I mean?"

Rave looked at Shakey with a neutral expression.  "No," was all she said.

"…oh…" Shakey felt sure that he'd done something wrong, something that must have hurt Rave, in some strange, only understood by females way.

"It is a nice day outside," Rave murmured, "You should not waste it."

Shakey looked at Rave, unsure of how he should take her words.  Rave gave him a small smile, & reached out to squeeze his forearm reassuringly.  "Go," was all she said.

Feeling strangely reassured, Shakey left the classroom.

The mob had noticed the interchange between Rave & Shakey, especially the fact that Rave didn't seem concerned about Shakey having lunch with other girls.

Of course, SOME people put their own interpretation on it…

"The rumours about those two MUST have been wrong…"

"Yeah… unless they've got a SOLID 'Commitment Thing' going?"

"Hmmm…  Could be…  Could be…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Lunch Time, Crunch Time.

Outside, the trio of Shakey, Kuroko & Chairoko found themselves a nice shady spot under one of the many trees that lined the edges of the sports oval.

Of course, their meeting was monitored by several of the School 'gossipmongers'…

Mostly, the 'eavesdroppers' stayed a discrete distance away, usually not facing their targets directly.  All the better to promote a false sense of 'privacy' in those they were listening to, in hopes that something juicy would slip out…

In the classroom, Kantsee shook his head, appalled at the crude & vulgar way his fellow students were invading his friend's privacy.  Having MUCH more class than the rabble around him did, Kantsee would NEVER think of being so crass.  He had too much respect for himself, & for his friends…

…Which is why Kantsee used a parabolic spy-mike instead…

Kantsee ran a 'live feed' of the conversation to some of his regular 'paying customers', as well as making a recording for his OWN records…

"Thank you for helping us at the supermarket the other day," said Kuroko.

"Oh, it was nothing," Shakey modestly admitted, "I'd have done that for anyone…"

"Perhaps you would," Chairoko agreed, "But you did it for us…"

Shakey blushed slightly.

"Please," said Kuroko, offering her bento (lunch box) to Shakey, "Would you do us the honour of sharing food with us?"

Shakey's blush got deeper, 'Share their food?  They MUST have appreciated my helping them out!'  He looked at the contents of the lunch box.  Some kind of salad sandwich on brown bread, plain rice balls, & servings of sliced fruit & vegetables.

'Hmmm…' Shakey silently appraised the contents with the eye of an Acolyte of the Culinary Arts, 'Looks Vegetarian, apart from the 'Deli Meat' sandwich…  Perhaps they haven't gotten their kitchen up & running yet…'

'Or…' Shakey suddenly felt embarrassed as he remembered the large amounts of 'instant food' the girls had bought, 'Perhaps they don't know how to cook, or aren't able to cook because they don't have the right equipment?'

Shakey paused, then he took a sandwich from the lunchbox, & ate it.  'Deli Meat all right,' he realised, chewing thoroughly, 'Although I can't say just what type…  Tastes nice & spicy though…  Perhaps it's marinated?'

Shakey then offered his own lunchbox to the girls, saying, "Here!  You've shared your food with me, so it's only right that I should share with you…"

To Shakey's surprise, neither of the girls accepted his offer, even though he had Chicken Teriyaki Sushi Rolls.

"We thank you for your offer," Chairoko politely refused, "But we want to thank you for helping us the other day."

"We wouldn't feel right taking your food," clarified Kuroko, "Not when we haven't yet paid back the favour you did for us…"

"Oh…" said Shakey, feeling embarrassed, "Some other time then?"

Both girls looked at Shakey & smiled, "Yes.  We would like that," they chorused.

Lunchbreak not getting any longer, Shakey ate his meal in silence, trying not to look too clumsy or greedy while he ate.  The food consumed, the girls began to ask Shakey questions about the School, the City, & about the other students.

Unknown to Shakey, the Clones masquerading as Kuroko & Chairoko had already heard various rumours about the other students in the school.  Wanting to know more about how rumours propagate, & thus, how they might be contained, the Disguised Clones had been attentive listeners.  Consequently, they had gotten a LOT of 'dirt' on their new classmates…

'I'd better be careful what I say,' Shakey realised, 'I could get into REAL trouble if something I say is taken the wrong way…'

"Ah…  Well…" Shakey answered evasively, "I haven't really been here that long, & I don't really know the other students all that well…"

"What about that strange girl by the window, the one with the blue hair?" asked Chairoko, "She ignored us when we arrived…  Is she always that unfriendly?"

'Oh great,' Shakey moaned inwardly, 'First day here & already they've formed an opinion about how 'normal' Rave is…'

Shakey tried to stand up for his friend, "Uh…  Rave's not… unfriendly…  She's just… a REAL quiet sort of person…  It takes a while to get to know her, but if you try to be a friend to her…  She'll be a friend back to you…"

"People," Chairoko said quietly, "Told us that she doesn't have any friends…"

"That's not true…" Shakey said with confidence, "Rave has friends, it's just… most of them aren't here at school with her…"

"Is that why she is absent from classes so often?" Kuroko seized on the chance to explore another rumour about Rave, "She skips classes to meet with her friends outside of school?"

"No!" exclaimed Shakey, feeling embarrassed at the need to protect his friend's reputation, "Rave doesn't skip classes!  She's…"

'How can I answer that?' Shakey asked himself, 'I can't just tell them that Rave's frequently absent, so she take part in Top Secret experiments & tests…'

Shakey improvised, "Rave's …had a lot of bad luck in her life…  She's often been hurt, & has had to go to the doctor's a lot…  For tests & treatments…  She hasn't been able to attend school like the other children have…"

"Are her frequent injuries from 'gang' fights?"

"No they aren't!" Shakey denied vigorously.

"People have told us she…"

"Listen to me," Shakey angrily interrupted, "There are a LOT of rumour mongers & Gossipers in this school!  Half of what they say are outright lies, & the rest are misinterpretations & half-truths!  Don't believe everything you hear, until you find out who you can trust to tell you the truth!"

The girls blinked in unison, "Then the stories we have heard about her…"

"Aren't true!" Shakey stressed, "Rave's a nice girl, who just…"

Shakey bit his tongue as he realised he was about to repeat something Dr Ritzy Akatlover had said about Rave many months ago, "…has… difficulties in her life…"

Throughout the City, the members that made up the Group Mind known as 'Rave', suddenly felt their cheeks grow warmer as they listened to the 'live feed' the other Clones were sending them.

So…  Shakey thinks we are a 'nice girl'…

Beside Shakey, the two disguised Clones were also feeling pleasantly embarrassed, although their skin makeup hid their slight blushes.

"So she isn't your girlfriend then?"

"What?!" it was a sudden shock to Shakey, "No!  She isn't my girlfriend!"

"Is she any one's girlfriend?"

"…ah-I w-wouldn't know about that," Shakey barely got out, "You'd really be better off asking her that question yourself…"

"Is Aesir your girlfriend?"

"nuh-NO!!" Shakey croaked, terrified at the thought of what Aesir would do to him if she thought he'd said something like that, or had even appeared to agree with someone saying that, "Aesir's NOT my girlfriend!"

"Who is your girlfriend then?"

Shakey stared at the girls in front of him in stark disbelief.  'I can't believe I'm having this conversation!' he thought dazedly, 'Rave never talks about stuff like this…  Nor for that matter does Aesir…  Apart from that one time she dared me to kiss her…  Is this typical Girls' talk, or what?'

"Look," Shakey was trembling nervously, & seriously afraid that whatever he said was going to be misinterpreted, "I do NOT have a girlfriend!"

"So the job's open, is it?"

Shakey blinked, not really believing he was being asked the sort of questions he was being asked,  "Ah…  I w-wouldn't really say that…"

"Why?  Don't you want a girlfriend?"

"…uh…" Shakey desperately tried to think of a suitable answer that would resolve the situation, & save what little Macho image he felt he had left.

'How do I answer that?' Shakey mournfully asked himself, 'And how do I say it so that I don't look like a complete & utter Loser?'

"Hey Shakey!" came a familiar male voice as Kantsee walked over to the group.

'Good Old Kantsee!' Shakey thankfully rejoiced, 'Just when I'm in a tight spot, along comes one of my faithful friends to rescue…'

Kantsee smiled, "Have you told them about the time you wore Girl's clothes?"

'…me…  HUH????' Shakey blinked, not believing the 'knife job' his friend was doing on Shakey's fragile reputation.

"He wore Girl's clothes?" the Twins chorused in unison.

"Oh yeah!" Kantsee grinned, "And I've got the photos to prove it!"

'Next time I Pilot AVE,' Shakey thought darkly, 'I simply MUST pay Kantsee a 'little visit'…'

The rest of the lunch break went far worse than Shakey had thought it would…

Up in the classroom, Rave was sitting at her desk, looking out the window, a slight blush on her face.  The fact she was staring in the general direction of Shakey & the two new girls, did NOT go unnoticed by the others in the class.

"Ms Imanonymous?" one of the bolder girls asked.

"Yes?" Rave kept looking out the window.

"Ah-are you all right with… with…  You know?"

"Know what?" Rave enquired.

"Shakey & the new girls…"

"Yes.  Why should I not be?"

"B-but aren't you upset that your b-boyfriend is seeing other girls?"

The girl gulped as Rave's crimson eyes stared through her.

"No," Rave replied in a monotone, "And he is not my boyfriend."

More than a slight murmur arose amongst the other students in the room at Rave's frank admission.

Then Rave did the unexpected…  She said, "He is my Best friend."

Then Rave went back to watching the trio on the Playing Field.

Of course, even the Honest Truth cannot always prevail against the force of popular misinformation.  The gossipmongers had a field day…

*Imanonymous just said Atari isn't her boyfriend!*

*Really?*

*Perhaps they aren't an item after all*

*Yeah, I can't see Atari being Stud enough to dazzle her with his Manly charm!*

*Unless he really IS a Smooth B-----D, & not the Hopeless Wimp we thought!*

*Him?  Smooth?  No way!*

*Then again, maybe Imanonymous is the one who's done the dazzling?*

*Oh SURE! I can JUST see something like THAT happening!*

*Face it, Atari's just a wimp!*

*Yeah!  He's always getting bossed around by Aesir!*

*And?  Aesir bosses EVERYONE around!*

*Yeah!  ANYONE can boss a Spineless wimp like Atari!*

*Maybe Imanonymous wants him as HER punching bag?*

*Could get interesting when Aesir gets back*

*By the way, how is she doing?*

*Well, the last I heard…*

And so it went…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Surprise.

The rest of the day passed slowly, with the Old Teacher continuing to send his students to sleep with his ancient anecdotes of a World long gone.  Eventually though, the day ended, & the Captives of the Classroom that Time Forgot, were free to go home.

As per Lunchtime, the other students milled around the new girls, repeating their previous offers, & generally trying to get what information they could.

Kuroko & Chairoko though, were still playing hard to get…

Or in Shakey's case, hard to get rid of…

"Would you like to walk us home?" Chairoko asked Shakey.

"Um…" Shakey was once again the unenviable centre of attention in the classroom, "Actually… I have to… see someone…"

"Oh?" said the Twins, looking slightly crestfallen.

"Hey Rave?" Shakey didn't want to hurt the new girls' feelings, but he didn't want to hurt the feelings of his blue-haired friend either.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk with you outside?" Shakey nearly pleaded.

"Yes."

"You're Rave Imanonymous, aren't you?" Chairoko butted into the conversation.

"Yes," Rave turned her attention to the new girl.

"Shakey's been telling us all about you," Kuroko stated.

Rave stayed silent, a little fact that had Shakey suddenly sweating bullets as he tried to remember just what he HAD said about her…

"I'll… see you outside…" Shakey squeaked, before leaving the room as fast as he could.  As he saw it, 'It's better to have room to run in, if you NEED to run!'

Rave & the new girls watched Shakey leave with puzzled looks on their faces.  Despite the renewed offers of the other students around them, the new girls took up their conversation with Rave where they had left off.

"So… it's only fair that you should tell us all about him," added Chairoko.

Rave appeared to consider the matter then merely said, "Perhaps…"

"Well then…" started Kuroko.

"Another time," Rave abruptly walked off, "Shakey needs to talk to me…"

The Twins silently watched Rave walk off, evidently surprised by her behaviour.

"Don't worry," Hickory Harikari said to the new girls, "Rave's like that with everyone…  At least, those few she does talk to…"

"Doesn't she talk to many people?" asked Chairoko.

"Well…" Hickory didn't like to talk about people behind their backs, "She's a really quiet person.  By the way, we have a tradition for all new students on their first day!

"Oh?" the Twins looked interested.

"It's called, learning how to clean the classroom…"

The Twins blinked in unison.

"Hickory leaned in & whispered conspiratorially, "Don't worry, we can talk about things as we clean up…"

Meanwhile, Shakey waited at the School Gates for Rave to turn up.  'Oh man,' he thought guiltily, 'I hope I didn't say anything I shouldn't have…'

"Hi Shakey!"

Shakey flinched at the unexpected greeting.  Natsumi Iwakawa came up to him, a cheerful smile plastered across a face glowing with good health & happiness.

Shakey blinked, noting the change to the emotional wreck he'd first met.

"Is Rave here today?"

"Hi Natsumi," Shakey returned, "Yeah, Rave's here today, she'll be along in a little while…"

"Does she have Classroom Cleaning duty?"

"No, she's just talking to some new students in our class…"

"Oh?" Natsumi smiled coyly, "More Handsome boys I hope?"

Shakey shook his head, "No, just some more girls…"

"So why aren't you talking with them then?"

Shakey shrugged his shoulders, "Everyone else wanted to talk to them…"

"And you didn't?"

"It's not like that," Shakey was suddenly uncomfortable, "I talked with them at lunchtime…"

"Ah," Natsumi gave Shakey a knowing look, "So you've already got their phone numbers in your little black book then?"

"What…?  No!" Shakey spluttered, "I don't HAVE a little black book…"

"Rave takes up all your time instead?" Natsumi not quite suggested.

"Natsumi," Shakey sighed wearily, "Me & Rave are NOT an item…"

'SURE you aren't!' Natsumi thought…

Not much later, Rave joined them, & the trio continued on their usual way home.

"Shakey?" asked Rave, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Uh…" Shakey hesitated, "It's… sort of… confidential…"

Rave looked blankly at him, "Confidential?"

"Is THAT the time?" Natsumi suddenly exclaimed, "Terribly, sorry, but I've got to get home or my Aunt will worry…  See you tomorrow!"

With that Natsumi ran off, a grin on her face.  Rave wore more than a slightly puzzled look as she watched Natsumi leave, especially as Natsumi had winked at Rave & whispered "Good Luck!" to her.

Shakey coughed nervously, "Rave…  I need to talk… about… things…"

"Rumours?" Rave quietly asked.

"Um… yeah…" Shakey confirmed in a small voice, "…sort of…"

"Would you like a Malted Milk?" Rave softly asked.

Shakey nodded his head, "Yeah…  It might help…"

Soon afterwards, the two were sitting in their favourite Milk Bar, sipping on separate Malted Milkshakes.  Shakey was more or less toying with his drink, dreading the prospect of actually talking to Rave about some of the things he felt he needed to.  Rave sat patiently, waiting for Shakey to speak.

"Rave…" Shakey felt he couldn't stall any longer, "You remember what we promised each other… after the last lot of rumours?"

"Yes.  We agreed to tell each other of any rumours we heard about each other."

"Well…" Shakey steeled himself, "I… talked with the new girls today…  And they told me… things… other people had told them… about you…"

"Things?"

Shakey gulped, "They told me… other people think you skip class… to meet friends outside of school."

"I do not."

"I know that!" Shakey agreed, "But others in school either don't know the truth, or don't care!  They even think your injuries are caused in Gang fights!"

Rave paused for a few moments before commenting, "And how much of the real truth, are we allowed to tell them?"

Shakey opened his mouth to speak, then thought better of it & shut up.  'She's right…  How would people take the 'real truth'?  That Rave's a Clone who pilots a Giant Robot?  That she's frequently injured saving Humanity?  That most of the time she's away from School, she's doing Top Secret tests & stuff?  No…  We can't tell anyone THAT…'

Shakey propped his head up with one of his arms, leaning his elbow on the table, "Rave, I think these other rumours are making people shy away from getting to know you…  I think you should try & show people that you are NOT the person the rumours have made them think you are…"

"How can I do that, if they have already made a decision about me?"

Shakey rested his head in both hands, "That's the hard part…  You'd probably be better off trying to make a good impression on any newcomers to the school…  Before they have a chance to get misinformed by any rumours…"

Shakey looked up at Rave, "The new girls seem to be nice people, why don't you try & make friends with them?  If you can make friends with them, then gradually, others will get to know you as well, through them!"

"If they become my friends," Rave said quietly, a thoughtful look on her face, "Will other people want them as friends?  Will other people think they are… the same as I am?"

"I don't know," Shakey admitted, "I just think you should try & make friends with them, before they can be influenced against you by any rumours."

"We will be friends," Rave stated firmly.

"I hope you can be…  But you'll need to work at it…"

"They have already told me they will," Rave neglected to tell Shakey just HOW the new girls had 'told' her, "Rumours will not affect their decision."

"But I HAVE to worry," Shakey exclaimed, "After what happened last time…"

"Do not worry," Rave repeated, "These rumours will die down as well."

"Yeah…  But…" Shakey protested.

"I have heard some rumours about you," Rave murmured.

Shakey swallowed nervously, 'Oh great!  What's she heard about me?'

"They said you were my boyfriend," Rave clarified.

Shakey blushed.

"I told them you were not," Rave added, turning slightly pink herself.

Silence fell between the two.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Rave suddenly asked.

The question caught Shakey by surprise, & he stared at Rave in disbelief.  For her part, Rave stared back at Shakey, obviously waiting for an answer.

"…uh… no… I… don't…" Shakey admitted, his blush deepening.

"Why not?  You do like girls, don't you?".

"W-why not??" Shakey felt a strange sense of Déjà vu as he stared at Rave in disbelief, "But… Well…  I'm only 15… I mean… things… just don't…  You know…"

"Would you like to have a girlfriend?" Rave's crimson eyes stared deep into Shakey's eyes, looking through him to the core of his soul…

Shakey's face had gone a deep red, & he shyly shrank back from Rave's intense gaze.  The two stayed that way, until the ringing of Shakey's cell-phone interrupted the scene.  Grateful for any escape, Shakey immediately fumbled it out of his school port, & answered it.

"H-Hello?"

"Shakey!" Mazurka's cheerful voice spilled out of the speaker, "Guess What!"

"What?"

"Aesir's woken up!"

"WHAT!?"

"You heard me, Aesir's finally woken up!"

"That's great!"

"Now, she's still groggy, & can't really have any visitors, but…"

Shakey hung on every word.

"I think I can arrange a quick visit sometime this afternoon, IF the Doctors okay it!  Are you interested?"

"Sure!" Shakey enthusiastically agreed, "Should I ask Rave along as well?"

"I don't think she'll finish her tests in time."

"Tests?"

"It's why she's not at School today.  She had to come in & do a full set of…"

The rest of Mazurka's comments faded away as Shakey's world slowed down, & the beating of his heart pulsed loudly in his ears.  Shakey's lips suddenly felt dry, & a queasy feeling rose in his stomach as he ran Mazurka's words over & over in his mind…

'Rave's not at school today…  Rave's not at school today…  Rave's not…'

"…you still there Shakey?" Mazurka's puzzled voice asked.

"…huh… yeah…" Shakey breathed, "…still here…"

"I'll call you back when I've Okayed a visiting time," Mazurka advised, "Don't start making supper…  If we can get to see Aesir, we'll eat out to celebrate!  What the H--L!  We'll eat out to celebrate anyway!"

The line went dead as Mazurka hung up.

Shakey tried to swallow, but his throat was as dry as his lips.  Slowly he put his cell-phone back in his school bag, & turned to face the blue-haired girl sitting across from him.

"Shakey," 'Rave' said quietly, her eyes looking at the table top, "I have a little surprise for you…"

"…you're," Shakey's voice cracked badly, "…another… aren't you?"

The Clone nodded slowly, still not meeting Shakey's eyes.

'I didn't realise,' Shakey was aghast at the thought, 'She was 'replaced', & I didn't even realise…?'

"Shakey?" asked the rather concerned Clone, "Are you feeling all right?"

"…i'm… fine…" Shakey whined, although he looked more like death reheated, "…i just need… to rest for a bit…"

"I will see you home," said the Clone.

Only having half heard the Clones comments, Shakey allowed her to help him to his feet, & assist him on his way.

Not that Shakey used the Clone as a crutch…

"I can walk!" Shakey shook off the hands that were supporting him, his mind still coming to grips with things, but somehow realising, 'If people see her holding me, they'll think… that… that…  Oh Man!"

At an intersection, they had to wait for the Pedestrian crossing signal to change.  Shakey took advantage of the wait to try & sort things out in his mind.  He leaned heavily against a Light Pole, & closed his eyes…

'I didn't know it wasn't her…' Shakey was appalled at his lack of recognition, 'I didn't know she wasn't Rave…  That she wasn't the 'Third'…'

Shakey winced as a sense of Déjà vu swept over him.  'Same as I didn't notice when the 'Second' was… replaced…  I thought 'Third' was the 'Second'…  That she was… Rave…  What sort of friend am I, if I can't even tell them apart?'

Shakey's thoughts were interrupted by the familiar beeping of the 'Walk' signal.  Still half dazed, he automatically stepped out onto the road.

A sudden screeching of brakes & someone shouting "Shakey!" snapped Shakey back to reality.  Shakey found himself on the wrong part of the Intersection, in the path of an oncoming Delivery Truck.

Like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an approaching car, Shakey froze up, the world around him slowing down, as things came into sharp focus…

…Especially the face of the truck driver, who wore the horrified expression of a man who knew he couldn't stop in time…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Warning.

Deep in the NERVIS Test Facilities, the clone known as Rave#3 sat in one of the test machines, acting as a statistical reference for the current batch of tests two other Clones were also undergoing.

Like the others being tested, she sat with her eyes closed, lost in an inner world as she synchronised her nervous system with the machinery around her.  The surge & pulse of the interface flowed around her consciousness, like a mountain creek meandering around a mossy boulder…

Rave's serene state was in complete contrast to that of Major Kutsarug, who was having a rather heated telephone conversation…

"What do you mean I can't bring visitors in to see her?"

"Ma'am, it's as I TOLD you…" said an exasperated voice on the phone, "She's only just come out of her coma.  We've given her medication to help her, but she'll still have problems for the next seven to ten hours at least.  Any sort of over excitement during this time is OUT of the question!  As her Guardian, you may come & see her, briefly, & while under supervision!  No one else!"

"FINE!" Mazurka fumed, "I'll play it your way!  But I'll want to be advised the minute she's deemed capable of seeing visitors, or ELSE!"

Mazurka slammed the phone down into its cradle, 'Damn Hospital staff!  Get your hopes up by telling you one thing, then when you try & arrange it so you can see for yourself, they tell you another…'

'What will I tell Shakey?' Mazurka agonised over her unpleasant options, 'Now that he knows Aesir is awake, he'll want to go & see her…  Maybe I should just tell him the truth?  That she won't be able to 'receive visitors' because they might 'overexcite' her?'

'Heh…' Mazurka smirked, 'I wonder how Shakey would react if he heard that Aesir found him 'overexciting'…  Hmmm… if Shakey was too much for Aesir to take, I wonder how she'd react to having several Raves visit her?  She'd probably…'

"SHAKEY!" all three of the Clones yelled simultaneously, as the test data on the monitors fluctuated wildly.

Mazurka sat bolt upright at her desk, the sudden weirdness of the situation sending chills up & down her spine, & gooseflesh over her skin.

"Mazurka!" the three Clones yelled in unison, "Shakey has been hurt!"

Mazurka grabbed the phone, & punched in Shakey's cell-phone number.  To her growing unease, she received the 'Not in Area' signal.

Mazurka took a deep breath, then dialled the Security Division…

"Security?" Mazurka snapped out as soon as the phone was picked up, "Major Kutsarug here, I want a location report on the Third Pilot Shakey Atari, STAT!"

"Roger Major," replied a professionally bored voice, "Third Pilot is with…"

Mazurka tensed as the voice trailed off…

"Major!" the voice resumed in suddenly urgent tones, "We have a Crisis Situation in progress.  Backup teams are moving in for Emergency Extraction…"

"Where IS he?" Mazurka demanded.

"They'll be taken direct to Medical, Major," the voice replied.

Mazurka slammed her phone down, "Moccona!" she yelled as she ran out of the test centre, "Take over for me!  I'm needed elsewhere!"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Streetwise.

Reality came back to Shakey in a jumble of sensations…

Something hard & rough pressed against Shakey's face.  The smell of car fumes filled his nose, & a mash of noises sounded in the background.  He blinked his eyes, & he realised he was lying on a concrete safety strip.  He moved to stand up, & moaned as various pains ached through him.

'…what…?' Shakey asked himself, trying to remember.

Then his memory came back…

Someone calling his name…  A vision of a truck heading straight for him, every detail of it crystal clear…  A sudden blurring…  Darkness & lights…

"Truck?" Shakey wheezed, a pain lancing through his ribs, "There was a truck?"

Shakey rolled awkwardly onto his side & looked around.  Some way further down the street, a truck was angle parked on the sidewalk.  The driver's door was open, & the hazard lights were flashing.

Shakey looked at it, not completely understanding what had happened.  He looked around in a daze, seeking an answer.  On the other side of him, the oncoming traffic was jammed behind several vehicles that had stopped short of the accident scene.

In between the two, Shakey saw something that nearly stopped his heart…

Lying on the road like a lost rag doll, was a familiar blue-haired figure.

…In a pool of blood…

"RAVE!" Shakey shouted, trying to scramble to his feet.  He winced in pain as his leg buckled, forcing him to hobble rather than run over to the girl.

Blood dribbled from a bad gash on Rave's temple.  It streamed down the side of her head, matting her blue hair into a dark sticky mess before making a spreading pool on the roadway.  A sanguine Halo.

"Rave?" Shakey asked loudly, his hand shaking her shoulder, "Can you hear me?"

Her body twitched spasmodically at his voice, a whimper of pain escaping her lips.  Her eyelids trembled, then slowly rolled partly back, her unfocussed red eyes staring past him.

Shakey screamed at the people milling nearby, "SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!"

Shakey turned back to the girl, desperately trying to remember what the First Aid book said he should do in a situation like this…

'I need a bandage to stop the blood loss…'

Having none to hand, Shakey used a trick he'd read in his First Aid Book.  He placed his bare hand gently on the wound, & began to press down.  To a casual observer, it might appear that Shakey was caressing the girl's head, rather than using his hand as an emergency pressure bandage.

The Clone moved awkwardly beneath Shakey, her eyes locking onto him.  A faint smile fleeted across her face, as a pale limb reached up to caress his face.  Shakey spooked, his mind going back to another Clone, & the similar action she had done just before she died.  His free hand caught the pale hand that touched his face, squeezing it tightly.

"Please!" Shakey whined, tears in his eyes, "Don't die!  I don't know which one you are… but you CAN'T be replaced…  Don't leave me…"

The Clone's lips moved slightly as she breathed a single word, "…juni…" (12)

Then to Shakey's horror, the crimson eyes rolled up, & her body went limp…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Waiting Room.

Mazurka strode through the Hospital corridors, her grim attitude crashing through all before her like the prow of an Icebreaker.

At the end of this particular corridor, was a small waiting room that served a nearby operating theatre.  Here it was, that Mazurka finally found Shakey Atari.

Shakey sat on one of the sofas that lined the room, sitting curled up with his feet on the seat, & his arms wrapped around his knees.  He had bandages all down one arm, & a large dressing was partly visible on his cheek.  More bandages padded one of his ankles, & a pair of crutches lay nearby.  His body trembled & shook slightly.  The snuffling noises he made were evidence that he was trying not to cry, & failing miserably…

Mazurka froze, trying to convince herself that the person in front of her really was the boy she'd come to find.  That Shakey really was in front of her, relatively unharmed, & was not in some operating theatre.

"Shakey?" Mazurka murmured, reaching out to gently touch his good shoulder, "What happened?  Can you tell me?"

At the sound of her voice, Shakey tensed up, not bothering to look at her.

"…muh-my fif-fault…" Shakey blubbered, "…shuh-should've known… wasn't her…"

"Shakey?" Mazurka repeated, kneeling so that she was on a head to head level with him, "What are you talking about?  Know who wasn't her?"

"…rave…" Shakey sobbed, finally raising his head to look at Mazurka.

'Rave?' thought Mazurka with some confusion, 'What's she got to do with this?  Is the current situation inducing some sort of Post Traumatic Flashback to the Doppelganger Lab incident?'

"Rave's all right," Mazurka said softly, trying to console the distraught youth before her, "I left her in the Test Centre.  She's all right…"

"…not her…" Shakey snuffled, "…other…  Twelve…"

'Other twelve what?' Mazurka wondered, 'What's he talking about?'

"Shakey," Mazurka gently shook him to get his attention, "What are you talking about?  I need you to tell me…"

Shakey put his head back on his knees, & tried to talk, "…at school… wasn't Rave… w-was…  Twelve… dih-didn't know…"

Mazurka stared at the boy, a light slowly dawning, "You mean…  There was another Clone at School…  And you thought she was Rave?"

Shakey nodded, his head bobbing up & down, "…yes… found out… you rang…"

Mazurka moved to sit on the sofa beside Shakey.  She put her arm around him.

"Okay…" Mazurka said slowly, "So there was another Clone at school, & you thought she was Rave…  You found out she wasn't…  What happened then?"

A tremor ran through Shakey, & the boy stayed silent.

In her haste to find Shakey, Mazurka had barged her way straight to where she was told he was.  She hadn't taken time to be fully briefed on the situation, her own 'Maternal Instincts' temporarily overriding her Professional Mindset.  Now that her main fears about Shakey's well-being were settled, she had time to snap back into her usual 'take-charge' mentality.

…Especially since she now had some serious questions she wanted answered…

"Shakey?" Mazurka asked quietly, "I need to check a few things out…  I'll be right back…  I promise…"

Mazurka stood, then with one last look at the bandaged boy, she reluctantly left him, & went to the NERVIS Security agent on guard outside the operating room.

"I'm Major Mazurka Kutsarug," the 'Command' level voice accompanied the showing of an ID card, "I need some answers about this situation."

"Yes Ma'am," the Agent answered.

"First off,' Mazurka remembered something from her original call to Security, "How many people were injured in this incident?"

"Two."

"Any casualties?"

"No."

"Who was injured?"

"The First & Third Pilots."

Mazurka narrowed her eyes in suspicion, 'Interesting!  Rave's the designated First Pilot, and she was safe & sound in the Test Facility the whole time…'

Mazurka continued to put two & two together, 'Shakey said another Clone was involved…  Since Security would KNOW Rave was having tests, they'd surely notice if someone was running around pretending to be her…  Clone or not, they'd have investigated the matter promptly…  Unless…  They had orders NOT to…  And since the other Clones can only leave their quarters with the Commander's approval…'

"How was the Third Pilot injured?" Mazurka asked, shelving her thoughts.

"He was almost run over by a truck."

"A Truck?" Mazurka gasped, "Looks like he was lucky to only get what he got…"

"Yes, thanks to the First Pilot."

"What do you mean?"

"She pushed him out of the way."

A cold chill ran over Mazurka as she remembered that there were two people injured, & that the other one was currently being operated on.

"What happened to her?" Mazurka had a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"She got hit saving him."

Mazurka swallowed hard, then asked the inevitable question, "How is she?"

"I wouldn't know that," the Security Agent replied, "You'd best ask the doctor…"

"Do you know how long…?"

"Sorry Ma'am," the Agent said with traces of genuine regret in his voice, "I wouldn't know that either…"

Mazurka nodded silently, then turned around & returned to the waiting room…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Twilight.

In an operating room in a Secure Medical Facility, a blue-haired Rave Clone underwent Emergency Surgery after having been hit by a truck.

The Clone, shown on medical records as #012, but known to real people as #12, lay on an operating table as a team of surgeons worked on her, realigning shattered bones, & repairing damaged internal organs.

Being part of a Group Mind meant never really being alone, as other people were as close as a thought away.  The only real 'privacy' members of such a unique communal intellect had, were due to those manners they mutually respected.  So, while others were always 'within touch', they were rarely being touched, unless they were actually calling out to another, or else being called upon.

The Clones knew that pain was a 'warning' that their bodies were damaged, or were being exerted past acceptable limits.  Since functional efficiency was a priority, the Clones paid attention to any 'feedback' their bodies gave them.  Being a Group Mind, they also kept a subconscious eye on each other as well.

Clone#12's current unconscious state was making itself known to the Group Mind, as a sort of 'hole' in the place where an echo from a mind should be.

The situation was causing the Clones no small amount of concern.  Shakey had been injured, although not seriously in the incident, but the Clones knew that he might be upset by the injuries the Clone had suffered saving him.  Worse, he might develop serious emotional trauma if the Clone died…

Their worries would be alleviated when Clone #12 regained consciousness…

The first thing #12 was aware of as she came out from under the general anaesthesia, was that she was floating in a dark & shadowy twilight, in which blurs of colour floated & faded.

Dimly, #12 felt the Others calling out to her, asking for information on what had happened.  Her mind fogged by painkillers, she was unable to answer effectively, to communicate with the Others in any way she felt they understood.

In frustration, #12 tried to remember what had happened, sensing that if she could only remember, then the Others would too.

Vertigo claimed #12, as whirling images grew to fill her world…

#12 was standing on a street…  Shakey was nearby…  They had to wait until the light changed…  The walk signal changed…  She saw that the oncoming traffic had stopped so she stepped onto the road…  She heard the screech of brakes locking up…  She reflexively turned her head to check for danger…

Then she saw Shakey on the wrong part of the intersection…  A truck heading towards him…

#12 yelled Shakey's name…  Shakey just stood there…  The truck was closer…  It was not deviating from its path…  It was not slowing sufficiently…

#12 turned & ran to Shakey as fast as she could.

…She came up beside him with the truck mere inches away from him…

#12 slammed her body into Shakey, trying to knock him out of harm's way.

…The transfer of her kinetic energy made Shakey fly off balance sideways…

#12 saw Shakey moving clear of the truck's path.

…She herself…

#12 had still kept moving, but not enough…  The front of the truck struck her across the hips…  The transfer of energy caused her torso to whip around toward the truck's side…  A flash of silver as a side mirror approached her face at high speed, and…

…Darkness & lights…

Another memory appeared…

A large industrial hangar, & an overturned hospital gurney…  Pain coursed through her body…  Her breathing was uneven, & hard to accomplish…  Through distorted vision, she saw a teenaged boy…  He had a concerned look on his face, as he cradled her to him…

…he cares…? …for me…?

Another impression appeared as the other faded…

A dark, dimly lit room, awash with a warm liquid…  A terrible pain in her chest…  A choking sensation as her body refused to draw breath…  The same boy was holding her, again with a concerned look on his face…

He cares? For me? He cares! For ME! Gratitude! Thank You! A trembling hand reaches out to touch him… Vision Fades… Pain fades…

A third impression appeared…

#12 was lying on something hard & rough…  A reddish blur filled her vision, & pain ached through her…  Someone called her name, asking if she could hear them…  #12 opened her eyes, only to stare blankly as they refused to focus…  Someone touched her, the feel of their skin resting against her forehead…

Other impressions suddenly washed over her…  The pain of another person's injuries…  Waves of raw emotions washing out from another…  Fear…  Worry…  Guilt…  Concern…

Care…? For me? Who?

Then her eyes found their focus…  The same boy was holding her, blood seeping from wounds on his face…

You!? You care? For me? YOU CARE! FOR ME! GRATITUDE! THANK YOU!

A pale hand reached out to caress his face, wordlessly expressing thanks for his concerns…  A stricken look crossed the boy's face, & he grabbed the pale hand…  His voice spoke again, cutting through the pain filled haze…  "Please don't die…  I don't know which one you are, but you can't be replaced.  Don't leave me…"

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

Somewhere deep inside #12, a barely used part of her soul flexed.  Like a bud growing on a tree, a new emotion swelled into being.  #12's heart reached out to the young man who held her.  Sensing his emotional turmoil, #12 tried again to communicate with him…  To reassure him…  Let him know she understood…

"…juni…" (12) It was only a breath sighing out of her, but the reciting of her personal identification number, the proof of her own individual existence, was the most personal thing she could share with him…

Then the darkness rolled in, & everything faded away…

#12 floated in the void, no longer feeling sensations from outside herself.  Within her, she sensed the pulse of her heart…

He Cares… For Me…

Her pulse beat stronger, faster, as she remembered the young man…

He Cares! For Me!

She remembered his concern, the way he had tried to comfort others like her…

HE CARES! FOR ME!

The emotion suddenly spilled past her being & spread across the void…

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

The emotion reached the minds of the Others, & caused a similar reaction…

*HE CARES* *FOR ME*

Throughout the City, Rave Clones paused in what they were doing, to take deeper than normal breaths, their pulses racing momentarily as their minds accepted #12's newly found emotional appreciation.

**HE CARES** **FOR ME**

Elsewhere, a young man sat in a Hospital waiting room, hating himself for the injury he thought he had caused a friend.

Unaware that his friend held no grudge against him…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Accident Appreciation.

Glando Atari stood in one of many 'facilities' that NERVIS maintained in the City.  This particular one was little more than a medium sized warehouse, yet it now crawled with a swarm of various technicians.  The object of their attention, & consequently Glando's, was a rather battered looking truck that had earlier been involved in an accident.

"Sir?" a lab-coated technician tactfully got the Commander's attention, "We've finished our initial analysis?"

"Give it here," Glando said coldly, reaching out with an open hand.

"Err…  Yes Sir!" the Tech rapidly complied, placing a folder in Glando's hand.

Glando just stood there still looking at the truck.

"Ah?  Sir?" asked the Tech, "The report?  Do you want further explanation?"

"I'll deal with it later," Glando growled, "Get your people out…"

"Sir?" asked the Tech, "We still…"

"I said," Glando snarled, turning on the Tech, "Get your People OUT!  NOW!"

The sudden outburst from Glando caused the various tech's to drop what they were doing, & scurry off.  Glando stood, silently looking at the truck.  Then he opened the folder…

Sometime later, Fu2ok walked into the warehouse, "Anyone here?" he called out, noting how deserted the place was.

"Over here," came Glando's monotone.

Fu2ok walked over, & found Glando on the other side of the truck.

"Take a look at this," Glando said, indicating a door on the truck.

There was a deep, roundish dent in the door.  The safety glass in the door window had been smashed out by the force of the impact.

"I see a large dent beneath a broken window," observed Fu2ok.

"Look at the front panel…" urged Glando.

Fu2ok looked, & saw that the front panel was badly smashed on the same side as the dented door.

"That was the point of initial impact," Glando explained, "It's where it struck her about the hips.  The door is where her head struck…"

Glando stood up, & walked around to the other side of the truck.  There he stopped, & opened the other door, "Look in there & tell me what you see?  On the other door…"

Fu2ok peered within the cab.  From the other door, a mangled silvery rod projected into the cabin, "Some sort of metal spike, driven through the door?"

"That 'spike'," Glando pointed at it with the folder in his hand, "Was part of the support for the Mirror on the other door.  It was driven into the cab, through two layers of structural metal, by a solid collision."

"During the accident?  Or was it a separate incident?"

"During the accident," Glando confirmed.

"What caused it?  Did it hit a light pole?"

"No," Glando stated quietly, "It happened when the Clone's head hit the door…"

Fu2ok winced, "She's lucky to be alive!  That could have killed her!"

"It SHOULD have," corrected Glando, "Her skull is not as tough as the metal the spike penetrated.  Yet, the spike penetrated the metal & NOT her skull…"

"Deflected angle of strike?" Fu2ok suggested.

"I think not…" Glando slowly answered, "Even if it was due to the angle of the strike, her skull should have been shattered.  IF it hit with enough force to dent the door like it did, let alone punch that spike through steel…"

"She wasn't killed," Glando murmured, "Fractured pelvis, fractured vertebra, broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, a gashed head…  Presumably, all caused by the initial impact…  The rear wheels also ran over her body after she'd fallen to the ground, yet they didn't seem to do any damage…  Despite being 'run over', she wasn't killed…"

"We should be thankful for small miracles," commented Fu2ok.

"Perhaps," Glando said agreeably, "But I think we've got far more to be thankful for than just that…"

"What do you mean?"

Glando wordlessly reached into his jacket, & produced a small slip of paper.  He handed it over to Fu2ok.

"What's this?"

"That's the time of the accident," Glando clarified, "According to the Accident Appreciation Squad…"

"So?"

Glando stared at Fu2ok, "It's also the time an E.T. Field was detected…  It was gone before we could pinpoint its location, so we assumed it was a sensor malfunction, or computer glitch…  But… it happened on the same side of the City, about the same time as this accident…"

Fu2ok turned pale, "Atari…  You don't mean?"

"Her skull SHOULD have shattered…" Glando repeated, "She was run over, she should have died…"

Fu2ok gulped nervously, "So…  Their powers are starting to develop…"

"Yes," a smile played over Glando's face, "Just like those in the other projects…  I think things are going to get interesting around here…"

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 9 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Trainees.

The Chief Instructor continued, "You will be involved in a Manual Dexterity test.  You will first disassemble an item, then put it back together again.  You will be timed on each segment, & timed overall.  Shut your eyes!"

The Clone obediently shut her eyes, & the Chief Instructor lifted away the box that covered the puzzle.

"Start!" ordered the Chief Instructor, as he started the stopwatch.

The Clone opened her eyes, then just sat there & did nothing.

"Rave?" Glando asked with some concern, "Why aren't you disassembling the puzzle?"

Rave glared back at Glando, "Cause we've already played with this toy about a hundred times!  You know, MOST children get a range of toys to play with…  What do WE get?  A single piece of cheap C--P you probably got from a joke shop!"

"Err…" Glando blinked.

"You want this disassembled?" Rave shrieked, a wild look in her eyes, "FINE!"

Rave's fist smacked down on the puzzle, smashing it to pieces & embedding parts in the tabletop.

"Assemble it yourself!  You cheap B-----D!" Rave spat, walking off in a huff.

Silence fell.

The Instructor scratched his head, & turned to look questioningly at Glando, "That time of the month?"

"I couldn't be that lucky," Glando moaned, beginning to sweat…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Home Study.

For the past few days, the Clones in this room had been kept separate from the others.  Unlike Rave#3, Glando was the only other person who knew of their situation.

…Or of what the Clones were really doing in the room…

"What's the weather like outside?" Glando casually asked, looking at one of the Clones in particular.

"Dunno Daddio," the Clone shrugged, "I bin chillin' wit mah Homies…"

Glando blinked…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Travelogue.

Fu2ok walked into Glando's office, carrying a weighty briefcase.

Glando looked up from his desk as the elderly professor approached, "Welcome back Professor, I trust your sabbatical was… refreshing?"

"Refreshing?" Fu2ok growled belligerently at Glando, "I was stuck in an airborne tin can with half a dozen, whining, screaming brats for HOURS thanks to you!"

"Err…" Glando blinked, "Didn't the puzzles help keep them occupied?"

"OH YES!" Fu2ok snarled menacingly, "Thank you SO much for reminding me!  I'd only just forgotten how I had to get them surgically removed…"

Glando began to sweat, this was NOT going to be a good day…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Plans #1.

The security shredder in Glando's desk churned noisily, as it turned loads of written material into illegible confetti.

"I take it you'll burn the scraps as well?" Fu2ok dryly asked.

"Of course Professor," Glando smirked, "I am nothing, if not thorough…"

Glando suddenly produced a toasting fork & marshmallows from his desk.

"Care to join me?" Glando asked with a smirk.

Fu2ok nodded, a smile on his face.

Soon afterwards, Fu2ok & Glando were sitting around an impromptu campfire in a corner of Glando's office.

The shredded documents made a suitable fuel, & as always, the toasted marshmallows were a highpoint of the day…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Plans #2.

Glando pressed a button on his desk, & a part of it flipped up to reveal a small monitor.  A picture of a typical shopping Mall appeared.

"Look closely," ordered Glando, "Tell me if you can spot the Clones?"

Fu2ok looked long & hard at the screen, his eyes roving over the many different people milling about in the image.  His brow furrowed as he scrutinised faces, & general appearances.  Finally, he admitted defeat, "No, I can't say that I can…"

"Let me give you a hint," offered Glando, "They're in front of the Budget Fashion Store…"

"Them?" Fu2ok exclaimed in disbelief, "The two Punk Rockers with the Mohawks?"

"Hey?" quipped Glando, shrugging his shoulders, "At least their hair colour won't attract any undue attention if they're dressed like that…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Groceries & Girls.

Shakey drooled at the thought of what he was going to get, 'Fresh Bread!  Eggs!  Steak!  Cheese!  Vegetables!  Milk!  Sliced meat from the Delicatessen!'

Unfortunately, a traffic light delayed him, & his stomach grumbled again.

"Oh, shut up!" Shakey mumbled at his rebellious inner organ.

"Please excuse us," said a soft voice from behind Shakey, startling him.

'Oh no!' Shakey wondered, 'Did someone hear me talking to myself, & think I was talking to them instead?'  He turned with an apology on his lips, only to fall mute as he suddenly found himself face to face with a pair of street thugs.

They were a pair of hulking muscly brutes, wearing torn denim jeans, studded leather belts, open leather vests, & chains about their upper bodies.

"Could you please help us, young man?" asked one with a bushy moustache, his extremely hairy chest visible beneath his leather vest.

"Err…" Shakey said, too S--T scared to say much of anything else.

"We're new in the area," said the other thug, who was wearing leather chaps, riding boots, & studded dog collar, "And we were wondering where 'Thor's Purple Helmet,' the local Gay Bar is.  Do you know?"

"Could you please show us?" asked the first.

"S-Sure!" Shakey rallied, "I'm going past there myself, so I'll be happy to show you the way…"

"Thank you, so much," the two 'girls' falsettoed in unison…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Surprise.

Shakey's face had gone a deep red, & he shyly shrank back from Rave's intense gaze.  The two stayed that way, until the ringing of Shakey's cell-phone interrupted the scene.  Grateful for any escape, Shakey immediately fumbled it out of his school port, & answered it.

"H-Hello?"

"Shakey!" Mazurka's cheerful voice spilled out of the speaker, "Guess What!"

"What?"

"Aesir's woken up!"

"WHAT!?"

"You heard me, Aesir's finally woken up!"

"OH S--T!"

"Precisely," Mazurka agreed.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Accident Appreciation.

Fu2ok turned pale, "Atari…  You don't mean?"

"Her skull SHOULD have shattered…" Glando repeated, "She was run over, she should have died…"

Fu2ok gulped nervously, "So…  She's one H--L of a Hard-Headed, Tough B---H!"

"Yes," an Evil Smile played over Glando's face, "Just like her 'mother'…  And since Aesir has regained consciousness…  I think things are going to get 'interesting' around here…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	11. 10 Reactions

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 10 "Reactions"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

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Chapter - Personal Demons.

Night…  The time of rest for creatures of the daylight hours…

In a NERVIS Hospital, two humans tried to sleep in the early hours of the morning.  Both slept fitfully, one lost in an inner world, while the second kept a sleep-blurred watch on the other.

Shakey Atari writhed in his bed, the sheen of sweat on his brow trickling down to join the body sweat that dampened the sheets.

"…no…!" Shakey's face contorted as his inner mind roiled & seethed, "…not her…"

Inside his mind, Shakey struggled with the emotional trauma of his friend's accident, & the personal responsibility he felt over his part in the matter.  His guilty imagination constantly replayed things, providing new & different perspectives on the day's events.

The latest re-run, had a Rave Clone bumping into Shakey, then falling off balance onto the road.  She lay in the road, her hand reaching out to Shakey, silently asking him for help.  The traffic was moving at dream speed, approaching slowly, but speeding past & away at high velocity.

Shakey turned his head to check the oncoming traffic.  He had plenty of time to reach out & help his friend.  But when he tried, he found he could only move at a snail's pace…

The traffic was getting nearer, & the Clone calmly asked, "Please help me…"

Shakey was moving towards her, but the oncoming traffic was now mere feet away.  Although it was only inching forward slowly, it was still faster than Shakey.

The Clone's eyes flicked towards the oncoming traffic, & her face showed alarm.  She spoke again, her voice pleading, "Please help me!  Don't let me die!"

Shakey was trying to hurry, but the harder he tried, the slower he became.

The truck was inches away the Clone.  Her frightened face looked at Shakey, tears running down her cheeks as she asked, "Why won't you help me…?"

Then the bumper of the truck touched the Clone, & she started screaming as her body was crushed in slow motion…

"NO!" Shakey screamed as he suddenly surged forward, his hand closing on…

…The emptiness of the room…

Shakey sat upright, gasping for breath, as he realised where he was.  "…nuh-nightmare…" he stuttered, his gasps turning into sobs, "…just… dream…"

Shakey sat in his bed, crying as he remembered that a friend of his was lying elsewhere in the Hospital, seriously injured, perhaps dying…

'…if …if it wasn't for me… …she wouldn't be hurt…'

The comment was more than an opinion of personal guilt.  To Shakey at least, it was an undeniable truth.  After all, if Shakey hadn't walked into the path of a truck, there would have been no need to save him.  Therefore, the Clone would not have gotten hurt saving him…

'…it's all my fault…' Shakey decided, '…Aesir's right…  I am a screw-up…  I can't do anything right…'

Other unpleasant memories of how much of a 'screw-up', a 'liability' Shakey was, welled up from the dark spring of his soul…

…Toe-jam, hitting Shakey, blaming him for the injury that Toe-jam's little sister received during Shakey's first, untrained battle…

'…just like Toe-jam's little sister…' Shakey's memory fuelled his self-hatred, 'she got hurt… because of me…'

…Aesir, calling Shakey an idiot, & blaming him for her initial failure against the Double Alien they'd fought…

'…if Rave had been fighting, instead of me… they'd have won first time…'

…Shakey's father, telling him to make a decision, either Pilot, or leave…

'…i stayed… and look what's happened…'

…Mazurka, telling Shakey that he was needed to pilot Ave, that if he didn't, people would die…

'…they're dying anyway, Mazurka… whether I pilot or not…'

…The Rave Clones dying after they were released from their tank…

'…i didn't know how to help them… i didn't do anything for them…'

…The Rave Clone that died in his arms in the Doppelganger Lab, her hand reaching up to caress his face, smiling at him despite her wounds & waning life…

'…i couldn't do anything to help her… i was useless…'

…The Rave Clone who was run over trying to save his worthless life…

'…i led her into danger…'

Shakey's despondency grew, as he remembered that he hadn't even recognised her…

"…juni (12)…" Shakey whispered, remembering how the injured Clone had told him her number, '…i didn't even know she wasn't the 'third'…'

A soft knock on the door interrupted Shakey's thoughts.

"Shakey?" Mazurka's worried voice came through the door, "Are you all right?"

When Shakey didn't answer, Mazurka quietly opened the door to check on him.

"Shakey?"

"…yes…?"

"I… heard you call out," Mazurka moved over to stand by Shakey, "Are you in pain?  Do you need another pain killer?"

Shakey shook his head.  He had sustained injuries, & while not life threatening, they were still painful.  All over his body, there were various types of pain, & discomfort.  However, he was reluctant to take the painkillers when he needed to, preferring to endure his own minor pains as a self-imposed penance.

Mazurka waited, then quietly asked, "Would you like to talk about it?"

"What's to talk about?" Shakey said in a voice dripping with self-hatred, "She nearly got killed because I'm too stupid to cross the road by myself…"

Mazurka tensed, then sat down on Shakey's bed, & looked at his shadowy face.

"It wasn't your fault," Mazurka tried to reassure, "Things like this… happen…"

"Only to people near me!" Shakey hysterically insisted, "If she hadn't been with me, she'd be all right, she'd…"

**SLAP!** the sound of a palm striking a face echoed through the room, abruptly ending Shakey's personal tirade.

"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Mazurka demanded, "If she hadn't been with you, she couldn't have saved you!  You'd be in the Morgue instead of a Hospital bed!"

Stunned by Mazurka's actions, Shakey merely put a hand to his burning cheek.

Mazurka steamed ahead, "I know you feel bad about this!  But you have to stop dwelling on things you can't change, & DEAL with reality!"

"I…" Mazurka's voice choked off, "I'm their Guardian, as well as yours…  Do you know how **I** feel right now?"

Shakey dumbly shook his head, still holding his cheek.

"I'll tell you…" Mazurka confessed in a trembling voice, "I'm upset that one of my Girls is hurt…  Especially since **I'M** partly responsible."

"…you're not resp…" Shakey muttered.

"Oh yes I am!" Mazurka insisted in an uneven voice, "It was my phone call that started this mess…  Even though I didn't know…  I…"

Mazurka's voice quivered & gave out.  She lapsed into silence.

Sometime later, Mazurka said in a firmer voice, "Despite my own bad feelings, there's also a sense of pride in her…  She was hurt trying to help another…  It's… similar… to how I've felt, when you've come back from a battle injured…"

Shakey shifted in the darkness, suddenly feeling awkward at the thought that Mazurka, or anyone else for that matter, could actually feel proud of him.

Mazurka continued, her tones tinged with guilty confession, "The times you went into battle…  We both knew there was a chance you wouldn't return, or that you might return injured…  I knew you didn't want to Pilot, to fight…"

"Shakey?" Mazurka murmured, "Do you remember the first time you Piloted?"

Shakey nodded.

"It was a poor way of asking you," Mazurka admitted, "But, I was glad you did…"

A sob sounded in the dark, it was followed by an unintelligible comment.

"Shakey?" Mazurka asked gently, reaching out to the weeping boy.

"…didn't want her hurt…" came the tearful reply, "…didn't want anyone hurt…  now they are… because of me…"

Mazurka cradled the distraught boy to her, trying to reassure him.

"No," Mazurka said as she held her arms comfortingly around Shakey, "She was hurt because she wanted to save someone from being hurt…  Her injuries are not from you…  They're from the situation both of you were in…"

"…Mazurka?" Shakey snuffled, "…what do th-the other… Rave think?"

Mazurka paused, "I'm not really sure…  I haven't asked them, but I don't think they hold what happened against you…"

"…why not?" Shakey whined.

Mazurka thought before answering, "Did you hold it against Rave, the first time you piloted & got hurt?"

Shakey shook his head.

"I think it's the same sort of thing," Mazurka crooned softly, "You tried to save another person's life that time, & now, someone has returned the favour…"

"…but…" Shakey struggled for the right words, "…how can you be sure?"

"You valued Rave's life enough to try & save her," Mazurka pointed out, "And you continued to try & be a friend to her…  And to her 'sisters'…"

In the dark, Shakey listened to Mazurka's every word, wanting to believe, but needing that extra piece of proof before he could commit himself to hoping…

"I think…" Mazurka began, then stopped to think through what she wanted to say, "That if you were to ask the Girls, they'd confirm my opinion."

"After all," Mazurka stressed, "I don't think #12 would have done that for just anyone…  I believe #12 did what she did, because she valued your life, your health & well-being, as much as she did her own."

Mazurka smiled as he concluded, "#12 knows what it is to be a friend…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - The Long Watch.

Mazurka lay uneasily on a sofa in a Hospital waiting room…  Since her talk with Shakey, the distraught boy had finally managed to drift off into some semblance of sleep, a thing his emotionally stressed body needed.

Mazurka however, was another matter…

Mazurka had decided to stay in the Hospital, in the event some urgent change in the condition of her charges required her personal presence.  After advising Security, she had set up a vigil in a visitor's lounge near Shakey's room.

Protests from Nursing staff had met with Mazurka's patented 'Glare of Doom', the one that promised an unpleasant future to anyone giving Mazurka a hard time.  The staff had wisely backed down, but had been adamant that the lighting in the room be reduced as per Hospital operating procedures.  Mazurka had acquiesced.

In the dimly lit room, Mazurka shifted uncomfortably on the sofa.  Despite the sofa's padding, it wasn't in the right places to act as a comfortable bed.  It was during one such half asleep squirm, that Mazurka felt someone slip something soft & squarish under her head.

"What the?" Mazurka snapped awake, her head rising off her newfound pillow, & her sleep blurred gaze searching the gloom, & locking on the one responsible.

Rave Imanonymous, her hands holding a blanket…

Mazurka blinked as Rave draped the blanket over her.

"You will sleep better with pillow & blanket," Rave said quietly.

"If I'm asleep," Mazurka countered, "I won't know if Shakey needs me…"

"You will know," Rave murmured, "I will wake you if anything happens."

Mazurka nodded, then quietly asked, "Why are you here?"

"Shakey is… not well…" Rave answered honestly, but evasively.

Mazurka hesitated then enquired, "Which one are you?"

"I am Rave."

"Really?" Mazurka sat up in bed, "Then can you explain why 'Rave' was injured saving Shakey, while 'Rave' was supposedly miles away in the Test Facility?"

'Rave' remained silent.

"I'm asking you again," Mazurka growled, "Which one are you?  And why aren't you in the Clone Compound if you aren't the 'Third'?"

"I am Rave…"

Mazurka took a deep breath, resisting the urge to throttle a decent answer out of the enigmatic blue-haired girl beside her.

"B--LS--T!" Mazurka swore, "I saw the 'Third' today in the Test Facility!  She had the remains of rings under her eyes, & you don't!  Who said you could leave the Clone Compound?"

Rave remained silent.

Mazurka scowled, "Let me guess…  The Commander…  He would have had to authorise your being out here…  Just as he would have had to authorise #12's being at school with Shakey, while Rave, I mean, #3, was in the test facilities…"

Rave remained silent.

"No?" Mazurka asked, before placing more of the puzzle together, "Well, how about this…  Security must have known where Rave#3 was, yet they didn't make any moves on an obvious 'imposter' imitating her at school.  Security may be idiots at times, but they aren't THAT dumb!  That can mean only one thing…  The Commander authorised #12's presence in school, & warned Security off of her…!"

Still no reply.

Mazurka took a different approach, "You know what happened to Shakey today?"

"Yes."

Mazurka took another deep breath, then asked in no-nonsense tones, "HOW?"

Rave paused before answering, "I asked Security where he was, and they…"

"That's not what I meant," Mazurka curtly interrupted, "When I was with the others in the testing facility, they knew what happened to Shakey BEFORE Security did.  And THEY were completely enclosed in the test units at the time!"

Rave made no comment, her eyes looking at the floor, rather than at Mazurka.

"How did THEY know?" Mazurka persisted in her line of questioning, "And did you really only learn about this from Security?"

Rave remained silent.

Mazurka stared at the girl, waiting for an answer.  When none came, she tried another tack.

"Rave…" Mazurka said quietly, "How did you REALLY find out about this?"

Rave didn't answer.

"When did you first find out?"

Rave didn't answer.

Mazurka's eyes narrowed as the girl remained silent & unresponsive.  "Are you under orders NOT to tell me anything about it?"

Rave didn't answer.

"The Commander?"

Rave didn't answer.

A sour look came over Mazurka's face as she put things together in her mind.

"Things… have been happening recently," Mazurka said in a gruff voice, "You Girls seem to know about… stuff… you haven't seen for yourself… individually…"

Rave remained silent.

"At the Hospital," Mazurka grimaced as a painful memory surfaced, "…they told me… one of the Girls didn't need me to give her a number…  That she was… was…"

"…shi…" Mazurka started to cry. (Note!  'shi' is a Japanese homonym, one meaning is the number four, & another is death…)

"I th-thought it was jih-just a dark joke… to lighten the mood," Mazurka's voice broke off into sobs, "But… there have been other things…"

Rave remained silent.

"How could they know Shakey had been hurt?" Mazurka asked through her tears, "I know that NONE of them had a comlink to the outside!"

Rave remained silent.

"I NEED to know what's going on, D--N it" Mazurka's voice rose in volume, fuelled by anger, "Shakey got hurt, & #12 was almost killed because I wasn't told things I should have known!  I didn't even know 'Rave' had been attending school!  It was Shakey learning THAT bit of information, that caused this whole mess to happen!"

Rave shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable.

"What will it take?" Mazurka hotly demanded, "Does Shakey have to DIE before I'm clued in as to what's going on?"

"…we… are sorry…" Rave whispered.

"Then tell me," hissed Mazurka, "What's going on?"

"…the Commander…" Rave hesitated, "…said… we should not tell anyone…"

"D--N IT, Rave!" Mazurka swore, "I've got enough Security Clearance to be Operations Director!  What more do I need?"

"…this…" Rave said quietly, "…is not part of… regular security protocols…"

"What is it then?"

"…we…" Rave lapsed into silence.

Mazurka waited, her eyes & ears straining for the slightest response.  She was about to repeat her demands, when a small voice spoke softly in the darkness.

"…we are not like other girls…" Rave continued, still looking at the floor, "…in the lab… many bodies lived as one… we were… as one… we thought… as one… we remembered… as one… the lives of another… lives we never lived…  Outside the lab… we are many… but… we still remember… what happened to those who were Rave before us… and… what happens… to the many who are Rave now… we all know… what happens to any one of us…"

A sudden chill ran up Mazurka's spine at Rave's choice of words.

"…we are many bodies…" Rave said softly, "…but our minds can synchronise as if we were one… the Clones in the test units… knew what happened to #12 & Shakey… because wherever we were… we all knew about it… as it happened…"

In the dark, Mazurka gulped nervously, as the meaning of Rave's words sank in.

Rave suddenly looked at Mazurka's face.  Goose flesh broke out on Mazurka, as the woman saw that the girl's pupils had a faint phosphorescent glow.

"What are you?" Mazurka gasped without thinking.

Rave barely paused before answering, "…we are Rave…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Another Acceptance.

Mazurka lay on a Hospital sofa, her heart beating rapidly.

"…you are… afraid of me…" the Rave Clone kneeling beside Mazurka stated quietly.

Mazurka took a deep breath, trying to get her racing heart under control, "No," Mazurka croaked, "I'm not afraid… just… surprised…"

"…others are afraid…" Rave continued, "…even though they do not know what you know about us… they are… afraid of us… they shun us…"

"Your fellow students are probably just…"

"…I was not talking about school students…" Rave insisted, "…but of adults… NERVIS staff… technicians… security guards… people we meet in the street… they may be polite & call us Rave Imanonymous to our faces… but when they think we cannot hear them… they call us other names… freak… weirdo… punk…"

"But," Mazurka protested, "Just because a few treat you like that…"

"…no…" Rave countered, "…most people do… as soon as they see us… very few people do not…  Shakey & yourself… the Commander & the Sub-Commander… Mayi…"

"Mayi?" Mazurka queried, "You mean Mayi Buttin?  Dr Akatlover's assistant?"

"…yes…" Rave replied, "…she wants us to call her Mayi…  she has recently been… concerned… for the health of some of us…"

"What about the students in school?"

"…most shun us…" Rave admitted, "…a few do not… our classroom monitor, Hickory Harikari… Natsumi Iwakawa… Toe-jam Snoozehard… Kantsee Hayeater…"

"At least you've started to make some friends…"

Rave tilted her head, "…when Pilot Skrewyou first came to school… she said 'let's be good friends'…  she was the first to ever say that to us…"

"And what did you say?" Mazurka's interest was piqued.

"…the one who was Rave at the time replied, 'If I am ordered to'…"

Mazurka blinked, "If you were ordered to?"

Rave shifted slightly, "…at that time… we had no orders… no guidelines on how to act towards those who wanted to be… friends… we only knew how to be Rave… and Rave had no knowledge of friendship…"

Mazurka felt physically ill, 'I have GOT to have a 'little talk' with whatever soulless jerk raised Rave as a child…  She needed 'orders' to have friends?  Regardless of the security arguments, that's just… sick…'

"Rave," Mazurka's voice held the emotion of total conviction, "You don't need orders to be friends with someone!"

"…we know that now…"

"You do?  How?"

"…yes… Shakey told us…"

Mazurka smiled, 'Good on you Shakey!  I knew I could count on you…'

"…the Commander…" the Clone said quietly, "…told us not to tell anyone about our… ability… …he said… it might make other people uncomfortable…"

"I have to agree with him on that…" Mazurka grudgingly conceded, "But that's THEIR fault, not yours…"

"Mazurka," a small voice asked, "…how would Shakey react?  …if he knew this?"

"I honestly don't know," admitted Mazurka, "He's under a lot of stress at the moment…  I think we better not tell him…  Not just yet at any rate, he's had more than enough shocks recently…"

The other person in the room with Mazurka quietly nodded their agreement.

Wherever her bodies were…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Assignment

Mazurka was roused from a fitful sleep by someone roughly shaking her shoulder.

"mmgh?  Whazzit?" Mazurka mumbled, wondering why her bed felt so uncomfortable.

The sight of two Security Agents looming over her was NOT reassuring, NOR was the fact that Mazurka found that she was not in her bedroom, but in a waiting room in a Hospital.

"Major Kutsarug," one of the Security Agents was saying to her, "The Commander wants to see you… NOW!"

'The Commander wants to see me?' Mazurka was still half asleep, 'What a coincidence!  I want to see him too!  I do hope he can answer some little questions I've got…'

Mazurka allowed the Agents to help her from the room.

- - - - - - - - - -

Glando sat at his desk, staring down the latest threat to his authority.

"Why wasn't I told about the others attending school?  'Sir'…" Mazurka's first question tacked the honorific on almost as an afterthought.

"It was on a need to know basis…  'Major'…" Glando tacked the rank on almost as a reminder that there were other ranks, significantly lower in the pecking order yet still quite capable of being Mazurka's next posting…

Mazurka bit her lip, keeping her own counsel.  She could have been court-martialled for what she was thinking though…

"Major.  There is a good reason for Rave being impersonated by the Others at school.  From a purely psychological viewpoint, it is a vital necessity.  Could you stay locked in a building all day, knowing that your life was lived by another person?"

"No Sir."  At least it sounded reasonable.

"I agree the situation was regrettable," Glando was calm as always, "And I think it best to revise the Clones current management situation in order to prevent any future recurrence…"

Mazurka bean to sweat, 'Revise their 'management'?  Oh, S--T!'

"Accordingly, you are hereby relieved of…"

"Sir!" Mazurka protested, "You can't just take them away from me!  It wasn't my fault!  If I'd known what was-"

One look from Glando, & Mazurka realised she'd gone too far, "S-sorry Sir!"

"Do you wish to be relieved of their command?" Glando asked coldly.

Mazurka stood to attention, "No Sir!"

"It can be arranged," Glando intimated.

"NO SIR" Mazurka repeated herself, "I do NOT wish to be relieved of Command of the Clones!"

"Good," there was a trace of satisfaction in Glando's voice, "Because I have no intention of punishing you for events outside your area of command…"

Mazurka blinked, 'What?'

"…events inside your area of command are another matter," Glando's addition shattered Mazurka's composure, "However…"

'Ohhh, **S--T!**' Mazurka winced, 'Here it comes!'

"…you have done a good job so far, Major," Glando gave congratulation instead of the chewing out Mazurka expected, "But I think the job is too much for you…  Accordingly, I will let you have some help…"

"I'm getting staff?"

"Unfortunately, no…" Glando seemed politely apologetic, "However, I will hand the Social education of your charges over to more… expert hands…"

Mazurka swallowed hard, 'First they 'share' your duties out, then they…'

"You will still be charge of running the Clone Compound, but you will no longer need to schedule any training sessions, or make any Compound Duty rosters…" Glando had drastically cut Mazurka's duties, & her authority as well.

Mazurka said nothing.

"Any perceived… needs… should be brought to my attention, so that I can make sure the Clones have expert tuition on the matter…"

"Birds & Bees, Sir!" Mazurka spoke up.

"What?" Glando almost seemed surprised.

"As I've said in previous reports," Mazurka sounded professional, if not exactly innocent, "The Clones need instruction in Human Relationships.  Since they're officially 15 years old, they have already achieved the age of sexual consent in several Japanese provinces.  On their next birthday, they will achieve the age of sexual consent in ALL Japanese provinces, as per current laws.  I think-"

"You believe they should have 'Sex Education'?"

"No Sir!" Mazurka promptly replied, "As I've also said previously, they already have a good knowledge of the Medical & Physical side of such things.  What they DO need, is timely information about Lifestyle choices, so that they can avoid the pitfalls that so many other teenagers fall into…  Regardless of scheduled classes, the random unpredictability of Real Life events demands 'on the fly' analysis & intervention.  I believe it is in their best interests to have advisors available to hand to deliver specific education on an ad hoc basis."

"I see…" Glando stared at Mazurka.

Mazurka stood to attention, the very image of a Loyal Subordinate having just advised a Superior Officer of potential situations affecting Operational Ability.

Glando looked appraisingly at Mazurka, "I understand you've been giving the Clones information about life in the Real World?"  It wasn't a question, more a statement that the walls had eyes & ears, & they all belonged to Glando, "You may continue to do so…  But…  Your efforts will be in addition to the Official Training & Education they receive.  Your efforts will only augment, NOT replace the Official Training."

"Yes Sir!"

"Do you have any further questions?"

"Yes Sir!  Since Shakey & myself already know that Rave is being impersonated at School by other Clones, may the Clones in question advise of such?  I believe it would help if we knew 'who' we were dealing with…"

"Granted," Glando conceded the point too fast for Mazurka's comfort, "However, such information is NOT to be made public, NOR is it to be discussed outside of secure premises!  Any Clone impersonating Rave, is to be referred to as 'Rave' at all times, regardless of her number."

"Yes Sir!  Understood Sir!"

"If that is all Major, you may go…"

Mazurka saluted & quickly left, glad to escape the Lion's Den…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Atonement.

Morning came to the City, filtering through the golden haze of a perfect dawn.  The City began to change as the last of the night-timers gave way to the teeming throngs of daytime workers.

In the Hospital, Shakey was gently woken by the cheery voice of his Guardian…

"Rise & shine, Shakey!" Mazurka chirped, wheeling a food trolley into the room, "Breakfast is served…"

"…mmmm…?" Shakey yawned, wiping what little sleep he'd gotten from his eyes.

Mazurka parked the food trolley beside Shakey's bed, & gave him the food tray.

"…porridge…" Shakey muttered, staring idly at the prefabricated grey sludge.

"There's also sugar, wheat germ, & milk," Mazurka moved each item from the food trolley onto Shakey's tray, "And you've got a large pitcher of fruit juice to wash it all down with…"

Shakey toyed with his breakfast in silence.

"Shakey…" Mazurka's tones didn't quite match the smile on her face, "There's something I have to tell you…"

Shakey looked at Mazurka, a sick sense of dread freezing his heart.  "…wh-what…?" he croaked, fearful of the answer.

"Well…" Mazurka's smile faltered, then vanished as she said in sombre tones, According to the doctors, she should recover…"

"…thank God…" breathed Shakey, a great weight lifting from his soul.

"There is one other thing though," Mazurka murmured.

Shakey's brief elation was smashed flat.

"You've… got a visitor…" Mazurka didn't sound normal.

Shakey blinked.  "A visitor?"

"Uh-huh," Mazurka confirmed, "There's someone who wants to see you…"

"…w-who?" Shakey nervously enquired.

A strange look came over Mazurka's face, then she turned her head towards the open doorway & called out, "You can come in now…"

Shakey's heart nearly stopped when he saw who entered the room.

Rave…

Shakey stared as the familiar girl walked over to his bed, & stopped beside Mazurka.

"Good morning, Shakey," 'Rave' said.

"…g-guh…" Shakey gasped, before giving up on trying to speak.

"I am not the one you were with yesterday," 'Rave' stated, "I am #13.  Mazurka did not know this…"

Shakey nodded, still too weirded-out to speak.

A brief silence followed.

Mazurka was the first to speak, "We should have been told…  Shakey?  You've been attending school with… the others for some time now…  A different one each day…"

"Why?" Shakey nearly pleaded to Rave, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Rave looked at the floor instead of answering.

Mazurka looked annoyed, "Because the girls were ordered NOT to tell anyone…"

"…my father…" Shakey's angry mutter was more a statement of fact, than question.

"Bingo!" Mazurka confirmed, "Old Mister know-it-all himself.  Not that he ever bothers to SHARE what he knows, with those who NEED to know…"

"…what else haven't I been told?" Shakey sighed.

"Probably lots," Mazurka deadpanned, before turning to Rave & asking, "What about you?  Do you know anything we don't?"

Rave didn't reply.

"Could you tell us if you did?" Mazurka pressed.

Rave didn't reply.

"Anyway," Mazurka shrugged off Rave's enlightening silence, "We've got other things to deal with at the moment…  To start with…  Aesir is conscious, & can have visitors."

The news brought a faint smile to Shakey's face.

"Two," Mazurka marked the points off with her fingers, "#12 is also conscious, & can have visitors.  Three, visiting hours are VERY soon…"

Shakey's smile became tinged with a sad, wistful look.

"And four…" Mazurka paused for effect, making Shakey look questioningly at her.

"There's a flower stall nearby," Mazurka rambled on in conversational tones, "Who just HAPPEN to have a sale on at the moment…"

Shakey blinked.

"It would be such a shame," Mazurka had a sad look on her face, "For any of those fine blooms to go to waste, now wouldn't it?"

"…huh…?" Shakey had difficulty following Mazurka's reasoning.

"Girls DO like flowers every now & then," Mazurka didn't QUITE beat Shakey over the head with a clue…

"…all right…" Shakey sighed, Mazurka's Brilliant Plan finally seeping into his brain.  Along with the realisation that he'd have to go along with it, as usual…

"Good!" Mazurka was all smiles & cheery tones again, "After you finish breakfast & get dressed, then we'll get enough flowers for all of our Girls in here!"

Shakey meekly began eating his breakfast.

"Come on Rave," Mazurka towed the blue haired girl from the hospital room, "While he gets ready, we'll sort out what flowers the Girls would like…"

"Like?" Rave repeated, a puzzled look on her face.

"I mean," Mazurka amended, "What flowers do you think the other Girls would like to get while they are in hospital?  If we're going to buy some for #12 & Aesir, we'd better get some for the others, or they'll feel left out…"

"I do not know…"

"Well, what ones do you… did she usually get in hospital?"

"I… We have never had flowers…"

"You haven't?" Mazurka was incredulous, "You mean, despite the number of times you've… ah… been in this dump, you've never been given any flowers?"

"No…  But sometimes the room's previous occupant left theirs behind…  Although, the nurses usually removed them…"

Mazurka chewed her lip thoughtfully, "Well…  What about a get-well card then?"

Rave shook her head, her eyes staring blankly at Mazurka.

'Something's not right here…' Mazurka thought with a frown, 'Rave's never had ANY sort of 'get-well' presents?"

"Should We have had these things?" Rave asked, interrupting Mazurka's thoughts.

"Well," Mazurka shrugged, "I think you should have, it's only normal…"

"Why?"

"Because…" Mazurka paused to collect her thoughts, "It's a way of showing the person in Hospital, that other people care for them.  That other people are thinking of them, & want them to get well soon."

"The Commander & Sub-Commander often came to check our recovery," Rave offered.

'Probably just seeing if they needed to fish another one out of the tank,' Mazurka thought darkly.

"What about visits from friends?" Mazurka inquired.

"Just you & Shakey," Rave said quietly.

Mazurka sighed deeply, realising her mistake.  'Should have remembered, she didn't know if she HAD any friends until recently…'

Mazurka quickly recovered, "Well, if you haven't had any of those things before, you're going to get them now!  To start we'll…"

"Ready," Shakey suddenly announced, interrupting Mazurka's Brilliant Tactical Decision making process…

"Good timing," Mazurka put her arm around Shakey's shoulders & tightened her grip, "What are your thoughts on what flowers to get the girls?"

"…ummm…" flustered Shakey, "Whatever's on sale?"

"Hmmm," Mazurka hummed through pursed lips, obviously considering Shakey's statement, "Allows for quantity of bloomage, but the quality may suffer, & what you're really trying to say might not get through…"

"What **I'M** trying to say?" Shakey protested.

"Sure," Mazurka quipped, "Just like in the old saying, 'Say it With Flowers', we'll get some blooms that 'say' something.  Something that'll help the Girls recover, cheer them up a bit!"

"I do not understand," Rave said, "Flowers cannot talk…"

"Not exactly… talk, "Mazurka replied with a smile, "But since time immemorial, certain types of flowers, & certain colours of them, have stood as symbols for various emotions & feelings.  Like Love, Honour, Friendship, Virtue…"

"A secret code?" Rave had a gleam of interest in her eyes.

"Sort of," Mazurka agreed, "It's not so much 'secret' as not very well known by the vast majority of people nowadays…  Although, most people do know what one or two types of flowers stand for…"

"So…  Shakey…" Mazurka gave a feral grin, her arm moving from a friendly embrace around the boy's shoulders, to a friendly chokehold around his neck, "What sort of 'message' would you like to send Rave?"

Noticing #13's 'interested' gaze, Shakey started to blush & sweat nervously.  "…uh… g-get well soon?" he stuttered.

"Mmmm, that'll do…" Mazurka admitted, releasing Shakey's neck.

Soon afterwards, the trio were 'buying out' a small flower stall.  They bought several large bouquets, composed of many different flower types, & colours.

"Are all these required just to say 'get well soon'?" a puzzled Rave asked.

"No," replied Mazurka, "But having all the extras won't hurt…  And the colours will liven things up for the Girls…"

"How much for vases?" Mazurka asked the pleasantly surprised stall owner.

"Sorry Ma'am," the portly stall owner apologised, "We've only got these small ones designed for individual flowers…  They won't be suitable for the large bouquets you're buying…"

Mazurka smiled, "We have to split the flowers up amongst several dozen people…  So lots of small vases holding one or blooms, will be perfect for our needs!"

Not much later in the Clones' Ward, Shakey, Mazurka & Clone #13 went about the task of splitting the bouquets up, & giving a small vase containing a simple two-flower arrangement to each of the incapacitated Clones.

The Clones accepted their gifts with solemn, albeit rather pink faces, & everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Until Shakey got to the bed holding the latest addition to the Ward…

The Clone known as #12…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Absolution.

Shakey stood silently, just looking at the injured girl in the bed.

A body cast covered #12's torso.  Designed to be removable for hygiene & diagnostic purposes, the plastic curves of the cast provided support to the body, & helped broken bones heal in the shape they should be.  Wound dressings spilled out from under the cast, travelling down #12's limbs, & over much of her head.  Stainless steel rods protruded from the cast, providing adjustable supports that gave a better fit.

…The overall visual effect, was that a human being had been turned into some sort of bandaged beetle, stuck throughout with pins…

Shakey swallowed nervously.  'She's hurt really bad…' he worriedly compared the sight before him to the other times he'd seen 'Rave' injured.

"#12?" Shakey's voice trembled, "Is that you?"

"…yes…" came a barely audible answering sigh, "…i'm me…"

Words failed Shakey.  For long moments, he just stood there…  "I'm sorry…" he finally whispered.

"…what for…?" came the soft reply.

Shakey looked timidly at the face of the girl in the bed.

#12's expression held no trace of accusation, or hostility.

"…f-for…" Shakey's voice gave out, along with his courage.  His hand gestured guiltily towards the medical wrappings that imprisoned the girl.

Crimson eyes flicked downwards, following the guide of Shakey's pointing hand.  "…you did not do this to me…" #12 breathed, "…a truck did…"

"…but…" tears welled in Shakey's eyes, "…if I hadn't… you'd…"

#12 gazed at Shakey's face, "…would you rather have been hit by the truck…?"

"Yes!" Shakey blurted out.

"…why…?"

"…because…" Shakey's voice broke, & he started to cry, "…you'd be all right…"

"…no…" #12 stated, "…i would not be 'all right'… you would be hurt… perhaps even dead…  …i… would not find such a situation… agreeable…"

Shakey turned away from the girl, his face quivering with strong emotions.

"…would you give your life, so another could live…?" #12 asked.

Shakey nodded, no longer capable of speech.

"…so would we…" #12 confirmed.

#12's comment broke through the sense of guilty worthlessness inside Shakey, & he risked a tear-filled glance at the girl.  She was looking at him, again, without any trace of accusation or hostility.

"…as she said…" #12 said quietly, "…I… we… will protect you…"

Then #12 did the unexpected…  She reached out with her good hand, & grasped Shakey's forearm, squeezing it reassuringly.

"We will protect you…" the other Clones in the ward chorused.

Shakey turned to face them.  All of the other Clones were looking at him with faint smiles on their faces.  It was all too much for Shakey, he broke down & wept unashamedly.

"…why are you crying…?" #12 asked, "…are you in pain?"

Shakey couldn't answer verbally, he just shook his head & smiled through his tears, gently squeezing #12's good hand in reply.

#12 squeezed Shakey's hand back in return, a smile on her face…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Aesir Awake.

In one of the Hospital rooms, a young red-haired girl lay in her bed, drifting in the drug-induced stupor that had helped her recover from a coma.  The effects of her ordeal showed on her body, her long tresses of her hair were limp & lifeless, & her face was pale & drawn.

'Hospital?' Aesir thought drowsily, her befuddled mind tried to sort things out, going back over the shadowy remnants of what she could remember, 'Was I in another battle?  Must have won if I'm here & not the morgue…'

"…no…" Aesir whined softly, tears welled in her eyes, then ran down her cheeks as she remembered the real reason why she was in the Hospital, "…i wasn't in a battle… …i couldn't make my AVE work… …i couldn't pilot… …i couldn't do anything… …i was useless…"

The full force of Aesir's memory kicked in, as she remembered how she had run away from Mazurka's apartment, her home since she'd arrived in the City.

Other memories rose up…

Living in abandoned buildings like some homeless tramp after she'd thought she'd 'overstayed her welcome' at Hickory's…  Going through dumpsters for something to eat…  Being unwashed & stinking, as she was too ashamed to go to the public baths in case someone she knew saw her…

…Saw the state the great Aesir Longlegs Skrewyou had let herself fall into…

In the privacy of her Hospital room, the red-haired girl sobbed in self-disgust.

'…i spent all my life trying so hard to be the best AVE pilot… but the others do it better than i could… and now… i can't even do it…  …i've trained to be an AVE pilot since i was a child…  it's all i know how to do… everything i've done, everything i've ever learned, has been to help me be a pilot… and now… now i'm useless…  if i can't prove my worth by piloting  after all that training… how can i prove that i have any worth at all?'

'…what's going to happen to me now?  who would want an AVE pilot that can't pilot an AVE?  who else could use an AVE pilot's skills?  what else can i do?  what can i be now?  what future have I got?'

'i'm less than the person on the street…' Aesir thought bitterly, '…they have training they can use elsewhere… they can be employed elsewhere… …people would want to employ them… they aren't failures like i am…'

'…what future have I got…'

The question was one that Aesir had asked herself many times since her last battle.  It was a question that eventually caused her to run away from Mazurka's & live with her classmate Hickory Harikari.

Hickory had been supportive, & had tried to get Aesir to look on the bright side.  Aesir was young, healthy, able-bodied, educated & intelligent…  Surely, Aesir could find some other line of work?

Searching for work had been the reason Aesir finally ran away from Hickory's & started living on the streets.  No matter what job Aesir looked at, there were too many strikes against her…  Strikes that often included her best points…

She was young?  Junior wages then at best!  And even then, the lowest, most menial jobs since she had NO work experience that she could talk of.  Well, no work experience that any prospective employer would believe…

She was healthy & able-bodied?  So were many other people, ones with extensive resumes, & applicable work experience.

She was educated?  What employer would believe that Aesir graduated from College at 14, when she had trouble reading Kanji?  Oh, so it was from a college on the other side of the world, was it?  Pull the other one kid…

She was intelligent?  Too intelligent…  Aesir saw the looks some men gave her, looks backed up by comments that indicated they would be very happy to hire her.  Especially if Aesir dressed up in her school uniform & was 'nice' to them…  Or wasn't dressed while she was 'nice' to them…

It was too much for Aesir.  The fall from the dizzying height of being an Elite AVE Pilot had been a long one, & Aesir's psyche had splattered on the initial impact, rather than bounce back.  Now she was faced with the prospect that the only well-paying 'work' open to her, involved 'opening her legs'…

Aesir's pride had been shattered, but there were some things she wouldn't do…

Not all of those offering 'employment' took rejection with good grace.  Fearful of the vindictive sleazebags tracing her back to Hickory's was the final straw.  Aesir ran away from her friend's home, desperate that Hickory never know about the offers Aesir had rejected, let alone meet those who had made the offers.

Aesir had been reviewing her options in her latest 'squat', a badly damaged building somewhere in Japan, when the old saying of 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'… floated through her mind.

Aesir had gone into the unroofed bathroom in the building.  There she had taken her clothes off, neatly folding them on a chair.  Then she had sat in the bathtub, heedless of the smell & feel of the semi-stagnant water.  She leaned back in the bathtub, her eyes drinking in the sight of the beautiful blue sky above.  The sharp piece of glass she intended to use on her wrists lay nearby…

…Then Security had ruined Aesir's plans by finding her…

A knock at the hospital door brought Aesir back to the current reality.  She wiped her tears away hurriedly.

"Aesir?" Mazurka's voice called out softly, "It's me, Mazurka…  Are you awake?  Can I come in?"

"…y-…" Aesir stopped as she heard the whine in her voice.  She swallowed then said in a firmer tone, "Yes, Mazurka.  You can come in…"

A smiling Mazurka opened the door, & walked over to the girl on the bed.  Seeing the teary red eyes, Mazurka enveloped the girl in a hug without another word.

"I'm glad you're awake," Mazurka said in sincere tones, "I've been so worried about you…"

'…i don't want your pity,' Aesir tensed up at the body contact, '…i don't want you to see me as some pathetic charity case needing help…'

"I wasn't the only one worried about you," Mazurka murmured, "There's a lot of people who wanted to see you get better as well…"

'…they all know…?' tears of shame welled up in Aesir's eyes again.  She squeezed her eyelids shut & willed her tears not to come.

"You've been through a lot," Mazurka continued, "You've been hurt a lot…  But you've survived things most people aren't even able to think about…"

'…does… does Mazurka think I'm… not… a failure…?' deep within Aesir's heart, a tiny flicker of hope sprang into being, '…she's been there…  she knows what it was like…  she knows how hard it was…  how hard i tried…'

"We're grateful for what you've done for us," Mazurka said softly, "We're glad you survived…  We're glad you're safe…"

Aesir couldn't help herself, she broke down crying, & returned the hug.

For the next few minutes, the two stayed as they were.  The elder woman trying to comfort the recovering child.  The child daring to hope that if other people didn't think she was a failure, then it was proof that she wasn't…

And if the child wasn't a failure, then perhaps the child could dare hope that she still had a future…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Friendly Visit?

In a Hospital room, a woman held a teenage girl, comforting the younger woman in her time of trial.

"I have some good news for you," Mazurka soothed.

Aesir didn't reply.

"You have some visitors waiting to see you…"

"Cagey?" Aesir's spirits lifted, hoping that the man she had a crush on had come to see her.

"Ah…" Mazurka coughed, a strange look coming over her face, "No, I'm afraid not…  Cagey… has a bad habit of disappearing… & only turning up when you least expect it…  He may say it's just how his job is, but like ALL Men, he says he'll call you… yet he never does…  I wouldn't count on hearing from him… any time… in the foreseeable future…"

"…oh…" Aesir was obviously disappointed.

"However," Mazurka continued in a bright & cheery voice, "There IS a Nice Young Man waiting outside…"

Aesir blinked in surprise, "…who?"

"Wait & see," Mazurka winked conspiratorially, "But before he comes in, I think we should get you tidied up a bit…  It never hurts a girl to look her best…  Now, where's that Nurse call button?"

Mazurka buzzed the Nurse, & in short order, Aesir had gotten a bed bath, fresh clothes & sheets, & her hair brushed until it had some of its usual lustre.  With Aesir made 'presentable', & coincidentally, feeling a whole lot better morale wise…

Mazurka opened the door to Aesir's room & announced, "She's ready to receive visitors…"

Through the open door walked two people Aesir had not expected to see.

Shakey Atari, & Rave Imanonymous…

Both of whom, carried large bouquets of mixed flowers…

"Good Morning, Pilot Skrewyou," Rave said politely, not entirely sure why Aesir winced at the greeting.

"Good Morning, Aesir," Shakey said nervously, "I'm glad you're feeling better…"

"I should have known," muttered a disappointed Aesir, "The Invincible Idiot, & The Indestructible Doll…"

"Here," said Rave, not missing a beat as she presented her bouquet to Aesir, "These are for you, in the hopes that you will soon be well."

"Thank you," Aesir said listlessly, accepting the flowers as a matter of course.

"I-it's good to have you back," Shakey added, as he gave Aesir his bouquet.

Aesir blinked as she saw that unlike Rave's bouquet, Shakey's bouquet had a number of red roses as a central motif.

'…that means…' Aesir's heart skipped a beat as she remembered what red roses meant, 'Is the idiot trying to say he loves me?…  Huh…  Knowing Shakey he probably grabbed the first bouquet he saw in the shop…'

Despite her conclusion, a blush still spread over Aesir's face as she mumbled, "…thank you…"

Aesir turned her embarrassed attention to the bouquets she had, not noticing the way Shakey's face turned slightly pink as he smiled at her.

…Or the way Rave looked thoughtfully at the two of them…

…Or the way in which Mazurka hid her grin behind a hand.

'You needed something to help you get on with your life,' Mazurka thought as she looked at the self-conscious Aesir, 'If we can defeat the last predicted attack…  You'll have the rest of your life to be happy in…  If not…  You should wake up to yourself, & make the most of what's available to you before it's too late…'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Driving Lesson.

Mazurka's car took the corner on two wheels, then accelerated with a roar of the engine as it flattened out level again, flames blasting out of the exhaust pipe.

Inside, the face of Major Mazurka Kutsarug glared defiantly at the traffic she was weaving through at dangerously high speed.  Her two passengers were pale & silent.  In the case of one passenger, it was a case of genetics & personality, in the case of the other, it was more a case of good old fashioned terror…

Shakey gulped nervously as Mazurka nearly sideswiped a semi-trailer.  "…Mazurka?" he squeaked, "…aren't we going too fast?"

"If I don't get moving, you'll be late to school," Mazurka growled, wrenching the steering wheel to one side to avoid ploughing into the rear end of a van.

Shakey swallowed heavily & closed his eyes.

"Why are you nervous?" Rave asked Shakey.

Shakey blinked, "WHY?"

"Mazurka is driving adequately," Rave observed.

"How can you say that?" Shakey demanded, to the accompanying blare of another car's horn, & several choice comments shouted by Mazurka.

"She has successfully avoided all obstacles in her path," Rave calmly replied.

"Rave!" Shakey exclaimed in exasperation, "You make this sound like some game in a video arcade!  This is real life!  That's REAL traffic out there!"

"Video game?" Rave was puzzled, "I was referring to her obvious skill at evasive combat driving."

Shakey gaped at Rave's comment.

"That's right!" Mazurka grinned as she narrowly avoided another collision, "I got a pass mark of 95 percent on the course!"

"W-what was the 5 percent lost on?" Shakey gasped as he noticed another semi-trailer mere inches from his window.

"I rolled a tank," Mazurka said nonchalantly, "Went too fast on a corner…"

"Y-you ROLLED a TANK?" Shakey screamed in disbelief.

"Hey," shrugged Mazurka, "I thought I could do it…"

"I got 98 percent," Rave said quietly, in case anyone was interested.

"98 percent?" Shakey repeated in a daze, not quite understanding why a young teenage girl like Rave would be taking an evasive combat driving test.

"Way to go!" crowed Mazurka, "What'd you lose points on?"

"A bazooka strike disintegrated the tank treads, & I failed to adequately control the resulting crash through two buildings…" Rave admitted.

"The high speed chase segment?" Mazurka asked.

"Yes."

Shakey decided it'd be best if he just closed his eyes & ignored things.

Mazurka slowed to double digits on the speedometer as the school came into view.

"Will you be performing an 'emergency slide stop' manoeuvre?" Rave asked.

"Yeah," grinned Mazurka, "Hold ON!"

Mazurka suddenly spun the wheel until the car was pointed backwards at the school, then gunned the engine.  Smoke poured off the squealing tyres as the car 'burnt rubber' in a sudden slowdown.

"Everybody out!" Mazurka cried as the car came to a halt.

Shakey gratefully stumbled out of the car & onto solid, non-moving ground, glad to be facing another boring day of school…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Questions.

In a Hospital room, a young red-haired girl stared at a recent gift of flowers.

'He was only being polite,' Aesir reassured herself once again, 'There's so hidden meaning in the flowers…'

Aesir sighed, & stopped looking at the flowers.

'But what if there was?' the thought refused to die, 'Does Shakey have… feelings… for me?  Is that why he gave me red roses?'

That people could still like her after recent events, was something Aesir desperately wanted to believe.  Even if she wasn't honest enough to admit such a basic desire to herself.

'Huh…' remnants of Aesir's usual brash personality took over, 'I suppose it's only natural he should have feelings for me…  All the other boys in school do…'

A small smile crossed Aesir's face as she remembered how the boys at school had made such a fuss over her as a 'new girl'.  Her smile grew as she remembered how her 'playing hard to get' had only fuelled their infatuation with her.

'But…' the thought reoccurred to her, 'Would any of them want me now?'

Aesir slumped as she remembered the depths to which she had recently sunk.

'Part of my allure was my being a Pilot…  And I'm not a Pilot anymore…'

'How would they see me now?' Aesir frowned as she asked herself the question every teenage girl eventually asks herself about boys.

'Am I just another pretty face in the crowd to them?'

'Will they still think I'm someone it's 'cool' to be seen with?'

'Will they still think I'm fun to be around?'

Aesir shivered as she suddenly remembered the offers from some of the boys who'd wanted to date her.  The ones who'd offered to show her a 'fun' time…

'Is THAT all they'll see me as now?' Aesir thought with disgust, 'Just another body to use for their perverted fantasies?'

Aesir's anger rose, as she thought of the cheesy pick-up lines some of the sleazier characters had thought she'd fall for…

'Where are all the real men when a girl needs them?' Aesir wondered, 'Cagey could never be as crass as those creeps!'

"Oh Cagey," Aesir sighed, "Where are you when I need you?"

'You don't even have to come & see me…' Aesir thought tearfully, 'Call me, or send a card, or flowers…  Something…  Anything to let me know that you still care for me…  That I've still got you there for me…'

A faint blush spread over Aesir's face as she realised she was staring at Shakey's roses again.  A thoughtful look came over her face.

'Shakey gave me red roses…  He's saying he likes me…  But…' Aesir wondered, "If he feels that way about me…  Why hasn't he ever asked me out?'

Aesir mulled over the memory of when she'd taunted Shakey into kissing her, 'Since he can't even kiss properly, he mightn't know HOW to ask a girl out…'

Aesir shook her head, 'What a hopeless idiot…  He gives a girl flowers when he's too inept to follow up on things…'

'Perhaps I should ask him out instead…' Aesir mused, the dynamics of such a situation giving her a much needed sense of superiority, 'Put an end to his misery instead of letting him stew…  But then again, he probably wouldn't know what to do on a date anyway…'

Aesir's whimsical mood was interrupted as the door to her room opened, & a stout woman entered.  The newcomer wore a nametag saying 'Dr Wang', & was dressed in the sort of 'professionally conservative' fashion that private consultants & people past middle age wore.  Her eyes quickly took in the room, ending up on Aesir.

'Head shrinker,' Aesir thought sourly, as she noted how the woman seemed to be evaluating everything she saw, 'Time to play 'What's in the Blots' again…'

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Variations on a Tale.

A rather wobbly Shakey entered the school grounds, trying to get his legs working properly after Mazurka's hair-raising ride.  Rave walked calmly beside him, unaffected by Mazurka's driving abilities.

They made it to class scant seconds before the teacher arrived, & the school day didn't get any better from there.

To start with, there was the small hurdle Shakey had to get over…

*Hey Atari!* came the inevitable E-Mails…

*What's with the walking stick?*

*What happened to you?*

*Is Rave's fashion sense rubbing off on you?*

*Why the bandages?*

*You & Rave 'close enough' to share bandages now, or what?*

*Were you really hit by a truck?*

Shakey stared at the last message, then began to type the cover story Mazurka had insisted he use.

*I wasn't paying attention, & nearly had an accident crossing the road.  I was almost hit by a delivery van, but Rave got me out of the way in time.  However, I was so startled by it, that I fell over & got hurt…*

Of course, the heckling that followed was only to be expected.

In the back of the room, Kantsee Hayeater stared thoughtfully at his friend…

At lunchtime…

Shakey reached for his lunchbox as the bell rang, then stopped as he wondered if Rave wanted to eat with him & Kantsee.  He stood to go over & ask Rave, but was beaten to the punch when Rave walked to him, & said…

"I must go to the library.  I will not be able to have lunch with you…"

"Oh," Shakey felt surprised & oddly disappointed, "I'll see you later then…"

Rave nodded & walked off.

"What was that about?" Kantsee asked, gesturing at Rave's departing back.

"Rave's going to the library," Shakey repeated, "She can't have lunch with us…"

"Looks like she's not the only one," Kantsee observed, indicating the Musume twins, Kuroko & Chairoko, who were also departing in the same direction as Rave.

Kantsee's glasses gleamed, & his words took on ominous tones, "You know what THIS means, don't you?"

"…uh…" Shakey blinked, "we'll be eating lunch by ourselves?"

"More than that!" Kantsee announced, "We can be Men, & talk about Manly things…  Without having to worry about the girls ratting on us…"

"Whatever…" sighed Shakey, knowing Kantsee was probably going to talk about his burgeoning collection of 'art works'…  The ones with dubious artistic merit…

As Shakey & Kantsee went off to their teenage Male Bonding Session, 'Rave' & the disguised Rave Clones began some serious research in the School Library.

On flowers & their meanings…

- - - - - - - - - -

Elsewhere, Glando Atari had just received a call from one of his spies…

"I see…" Glando said quietly, "Continue to monitor them, & compile a synopsis of ALL the books they consult.  That is all."

"Trouble?" asked Fu2ok, as Glando hung up his phone.

"I don't think so," Glando replied cryptically, before continuing, "The Clones in the school are conducting some… personal research… in the library…"

Fu2ok tensed slightly, "What sort of 'personal research' are we talking about?"

Glando smiled smugly at his advisor, making Fu2ok recoil nervously.

"This morning," Glando offered, "Major Kutsarug purchased some flowers, & distributed them among the injured Clones in Hospital, & Aesir.  I am reliably informed, that the Major told the Clones that… 'flowers have meaning'…"

Enlightenment flitted over Fu2ok's face, "And the Clones are researching it?"

"Correct," Glando's smile grew, "The Clones are actually researching something they were not ordered to…  Something that is more… human… than their usual training subjects…"

Fu2ok frowned, "Then they're developing beyond what STEELY wanted them as…  If STEELY find out about this change in the Clones program…"

"They will be told that it is part of the Clones newly assigned studies…" Glando smoothly interjected, "Nothing more…"

"And what if the Clones have grown enough to personally understand the emotional concepts behind the symbols?" Fu2ok pressed, "What then?"

"Then they will definitely be unsuitable for STEELY's plans for them," replied Glando, "Something for which, we should all be grateful…"

- - - - - - - - - -

As usual, Shakey & Kantsee were having their lunch on the School roof.

Kantsee casually looked around, checking to see if they were alone.

"Hey Atari?" Kantsee asked nonchalantly, "There's something I wanna know…"

'Here it comes,' thought Shakey, 'He's gonna ask me what girl he should start selling pictures of next…  OR which pictures he's got that I want to buy…"

"Did you really get hit by a truck?" Kantsee repeated.

Shakey choked on the mouthful of food he was chewing.

Ever the thoughtful friend, Kantsee waited until Shakey had stopped choking before asking, "And did Rave get hurt saving you?"

"Kih-Kantsee?" choked Shakey, "I've already told the truth…"

"But was it the WHOLE truth?" Kantsee pressed, his lunch forgotten in his quest for information.

Shakey sighed, & looked away from his friend, trying to think up some way of squirming out of things…

Inspiration struck!

"Actually," Shakey mumbled, "I was pretty much out of things…  When I hit the ground, I hit fairly hard…  Perhaps you should ask Mazurka what happened.  I mean, she's got all the accident reports on it…

Kantsee still looked suspicious.

"As for Rave," Shakey's voice suddenly caught in his throat, "As you could see…  She's here today…  And she's… uninjured…  But why don't you ask her?  I'm sure she'd say if she'd been hurt in an accident or not…"

Kantsee considered the offer.  "So…" he finally said, "How badly hurt are you?"

"Not very," Shakey confirmed, happy to be on a less touchy subject, "Mostly just scrapes, bruises & a couple of sprains…  Be healed in a day or two…"

"So why the walking stick?"

"Mazurka insisted," Shakey said, his face falling, "She said it might stop me from falling over again…"

"Pity you didn't have it the other day," Kantsee quipped.

Shakey frowned as he nodded his head…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - New Friends & Otherwise.

The end of the school day finally came, & the inmates of the class that Second Strike couldn't forget, were able to escape…

Once again, Shakey went to ask Rave a question, but was beaten to it by Rave…

"I am sorry," Rave said, "But I must go to the Library again.  I will not be able to walk you home…"

"Oh, that's all right…" Shakey replied.  Then, since Rave's recent activities had piqued his interest, he asked, "What are you doing in the Library?"

"Researching Flowers…"

"Oh, that's… nice…" Shakey was taken aback, 'She's researching Girl Stuff?  Guess they've really taken my advice about 'getting a real life' to heart…'

"May we walk home with you?" someone asked from behind Shakey.

Shakey turned to find Kuroko & Chairoko looking at him.

"…uh…  well…" Shakey stumbled, as he tried to ignore Kantsee's blatant wink & thumb's up sign, "I guess so… if you really want to…"

So it was, that the two disguised Rave Clones started to walk an unknowing Shakey home…

However, at the School Gates…

"Hiya Shakey!" Natsumi Iwakawa cheerily announced, only to have her face fall when she saw how 'damaged' Shakey was, "Oh… What happened?"

"I fell over," Shakey hastily provided.

Natsumi raised an eyebrow, but merely said, "Where's Rave?"

"She's doing stuff in the Library," Shakey replied, then he indicated the girls he was with & said, "Miss Iwakawa, these are the new girls in our class, Miss Kuroko & Miss Chairoko Musume.  Ladies, this is Miss Natsumi Iwakawa, a friend of Rave & myself."

"Hello Natsumi," the twins chorused, "Rave's told us about you…"

'She has?' Shakey was surprised, 'When?'

"Oh?" Natsumi seemed a little shaken, "Such as?"

"That you prefer caramel Malted Milks," said Kuroko.

"And that you live with your Aunt," Chairoko added.

"Do not worry," Kuroko said as she reached out to put a comforting hand on Natsumi's shoulder, "We are Rave's friends as well…"

Shakey couldn't help grinning like as idiot as he heard that…

'Great!' Shakey thought, while trying to stifle his grin, 'Looks like Rave is finally starting to make friends with others in class…'

Along the way, Kuroko leaned over to whisper in Natsumi's ear, "Rave has told us other things as well…  If you ever have problems from those sort of people again, tell us if you cannot find Rave.  We will take care of them for you…"

"Oh…" said Natsumi, blushing a little, "Thank you…"

Now that the 'ice had been broken', the quartet walked home in good spirits.

Until they ran into a group of a dozen or so older teenagers, dressed in the uniform of another high school…

The group of students had been lounging on a partially demolished brick wall, but as Shakey came into view, the group had moved to position themselves in the path of Shakey & his friends.  They ignored the girls, but when Shakey tried to walk past them, the group moved to surround him.

"You're Shakey Atari, aren't you?" asked one of the group.

"Yes?" replied Shakey, suddenly unsettled to be the centre of attention of so many strangers, especially with the way they were staring at him, "Do you want to see me about something?"

"You hang out with that tough bitch, Rave Imanonymous, don't you?"

The referral to his blue-haired friend as a 'tough bitch' suddenly made Shakey aware that this might not be a friendly social encounter.

"She's not a bitch," Shakey said, standing up for his friend, "Tough or oth…"

Shakey never finished, as that was when one of the strangers behind him casually kicked the walking stick out from under him.  Unbalanced by the unexpected loss of his support, Shakey fell to the ground.

"Shakey!" exclaimed the twins in unison, "Are you all right?"

Before Shakey could answer, the pack of thugs put the boot into him, kicking him in the guts, face, the back of the head, his arms, legs, back, crotch…

Then things got brutal…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Pecking Orders.

Glando Atari was only a Mortal Man, despite some people's secret opinions of the 'Man In Charge' of the NERVIS Base.  Like any other Mere Mortal, Glando needed to take 'time out' from his job during the day.  There were the usual 'hygiene breaks' that normal biology demanded, as well as the more nutritive 'meal breaks'.  Although in Glando's case, his 'coffee breaks' weren't so much to relax & unwind, but more to eat, & keep his blood sugar levels satisfactory.

Even so, he was ALWAYS 'on call', as far as the running of the Base went…

Glando had just started chewing a mouthful of sushi roll when his emergency phone went off.  He immediately spat the mouthful out & picked up the phone.

"Report!" he demanded more forcefully than he usually did.

His head suddenly tilted up as he listened to his caller.  He sat in silence for over a minute, his expression changing to one of pure rage.

"Bring them all in!  ALL witnesses as well" Glando demanded loudly, "Full communications blackout!  Post armed guards on ALL involved!  Make sure the injured have any medical attention necessary.  I will deal with all of the interrogations PERSONALLY!  That is all…"

Glando then slammed his phone into its cradle, much to the alarm of Fu2ok, who had witnessed the entire spectacle.

"What's wrong?" Fu2ok asked, his face a mask of concern.

Fu2ok flinched as he saw the furious expression Glando directed at him.  Glando opened his mouth & grated out, "My son… has been… attacked…"

"Attacked!?  Who was it?  STEELY?  How is he?"

"I don't know who, but I WILL," Glando glowered, "And my son is currently alive, if not conscious…  IF those bungling idiots in Security can be believed…"

"Atari," Fu2ok said soothingly, "Tell me what happened…"

A tremor ran through Glando, then he seemed to uncoil somewhat as he began to speak, "He was ambushed by a pack of thugs on his way home from school…  They attacked him en masse…  If some of the Rave Clones had not been nearby…"

"Did they protect him?"

"Yes…" snarled Glando, "Rather effectively…  Security reports five casualties amongst my son's attackers…  The rest are in Intensive Care…"

"Casualties?" Fu2ok was aghast, "Did the Clones lose control?"

"No," Glando retorted, "Guns were involved…  You know how the Clones have been trained to deal with multiple assailants armed with ballistic weapons…"

"…oh god…" Fu2ok groaned, then he swallowed nervously & hesitantly asked, "Was… was the attack in a public place?  How much of a PR job will we have to do?"

"That's the ONLY good thing about this," Glando replied, "It appears he was attacked near a scheduled demolition zone.  One that shouldn't have many inhabitants…  I suspect his attackers may have planned it that way for…"

Glando suddenly stopped, then snatched up his phone & made a call.

"Effective immediately," Glando said in quiet, yet forceful tones, "I want the Base on High Alert, with double the armed guards at each entrance.  I want High Alert Security Protocols in place."

Glando paused then continued, "No.  If anyone asks, it's a 'training' exercise… If anything… unusual… is found, I want it dealt with accordingly…"

Glando paused again, "No!  Shoot to maim if possible…  I want information…  If they give you trouble, you are authorised to use lethal force…  That is all…"

"Is a state of High Alert really necessary?" Fu2ok asked worriedly.

"I hope not," Glando muttered, "But better safe than sorry…  Especially since…"

Glando's comment was interrupted as another of his phones rang.

"Commander here," Glando said curtly as he answered the phone, "Report!"

A startled look came over Glando's face as he listened to the other person on the phone.

"I… see," Glando said quietly, "Recheck the systems.  That is all…"

Glando hung up the phone, a look of deep thought on his face.

"More bad news?" Fu2ok ventured.

Glando didn't answer.

"Atari?" Fu2ok asked, "What is it?"

"There has been another… malfunction with the sensor systems…"

"Oh," Fu2ok said dismissively.

"It occurred only a few minutes ago," Glando continued, "About the time my son was being attacked…"

"And this time…" Glando said, his eyes looking directly at Fu2ok, "There were two E.T. Fields detected… instead of one…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Interrogation - Innocent.

Somewhere in the NERVIS Base, a young girl sat at a small table.  Across from her was an empty chair, & around her was an empty room devoid of any human touch, or sense of human kindness.

Natsumi Iwakawa shivered.  Not so much from the sparse air conditioning in the room, but from the nervous trauma of recent events.

In the hour she had spent in this room after the incident, the young girl had cried herself dry, mostly through fear, & shock.

Her emotional state at the time had been caused by the trauma of seeing a friend attacked by a group of thugs.  It had been intensified by seeing what two other friends did to the attackers…

…And then several men in dark suits & sunglasses had arrived, & Natsumi had been forcibly bundled into a van & driven away to this place…

The sudden noise as the door opened, startled Natsumi.

The unexpected appearance of Glando Atari & two armed Guards, did nothing to soothe her nerves.  Especially not when Glando sat down on the chair opposite her, & stared intently at her.

"Wait outside," Glando said to his Guards, his eyes never leaving Natsumi's face, "I can handle things in here…"

The Guards nodded, & left the room, securing the door behind them.  They would watch what happened on hidden security cameras, just in case.

Glando slowly assumed his trademark table position, his hands steepled before him with the fingers interlaced.  He continued to stare at Natsumi.

After a couple of minutes of staring, Glando finally spoke…

"Miss Natsumi Iwakawa, isn't it?" Glando asked in smooth, quiet tones.

Natsumi nodded vigorously.

"And you live with your Aunt, don't you?" Glando casually enquired.

"…yes sir," Natsumi answered in a trembling voice.

"Natsumi…  May I call you Natsumi?" Glando asked in friendly tones.

"…yes sir," Natsumi replied.

"I'm glad," Glando said, a smile on his face, "These things are so much easier when things can be… pleasant…"

Natsumi seemed to relax slightly.

"However," Glando calmly pointed out, "It would go much better…  If you didn't think you could lie to me…"

Natsumi suddenly tensed up, "…I haven't lied Sir," she protested.

"Oh really?" Glando gently countered, then his friendly face changed into a hard one & his tones became cold, "I know the truth about you, & your… 'Aunt'…"

Natsumi began to sob with fear.

"Now," Glando stated in icy tones, "I have no reason to make what I know public, unless… you force me to, by lying to me…  Or by not telling me the full truth…"

"…I w-won't lie…" Natsumi sobbed hysterically, her eyes bright with tears, "…please… d-don't tell anyone…"

"Don't worry Natsumi," Glando's 'friendly face' purred, "I keep many secrets… yours is something I can easily keep… covered up…"

"…th-thank you Sir…"

"Now then…  Tell me what happened after you left school today…" Glando's words were a friendly order.

Outside the room, a pair of Guards watched an image of the pair in the room, against the slight chance Glando was attacked.

As per Glando's orders, the monitor had no audio feed, & was focussed on Glando's face rather than that of the child he was interrogating.

Glando's hands hid his mouth, preventing anyone from reading his lips.  The camera angle, along with the lack of audio, would prevent anyone ever knowing what questions he was asking the distressed child, or what she answered…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Interrogation - Assailants

Somewhere in the NERVIS Base, was a Secure Medical Facility.  It was currently home to seven badly injured young men, who had found out the hard way, that they could bite off more they could chew.  Their brief lesson in reality had resulted in horrific injuries, although, they were far better off than the recent occupant of the empty bed in their ward…

Glando Atari entered the ward, accompanied by a single medical orderly.

Glando paused, his gaze travelling over the various assorted body traction units, & life support apparatus.  His gaze lingered on the empty bed that had only recently become redundant.  The impression of a body could still be inferred from the creases in the sheets.

"Which ones?" Glando quietly asked the orderly.

The orderly consulted his clipboard before replying, "Bed two sir, he's got the most lucidity…  Beds seven & three may be partially useful…  The rest won't be capable of giving you anything for a while…"

"I see," Glando muttered, "Bed two then…"

The orderly led Glando to a bed on which a person lay in full body traction.

Glando bent over the injured person, & spoke quietly, "I want some information…  about what happened to you, & your friends.  Give me what I want, & you will continue to receive Medical attention.  Give me problems, & your broken corpse will end up in the town dump.  Now, do we have a deal?"

A pained mumble came from beneath the bandages.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Glando murmured…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Interrogation - Clones.

Deep in the NERVIS base, was an extremely secure building.  It had walls constructed of steel reinforced concrete some four foot thick, & had over forty heavily armed Guards stationed on permanent standby.

It was currently occupied by two young teenage girls…

Glando approached the Maximum Security Cell Block.

"Are you sure about this Sir?" asked the Cell Block Supervisor.

"Yes," Glando curtly replied, walking past the Guards armed with Rocket Launchers, "I must talk with them, face to face."

"Very well sir," the Cell Block Supervisor said, "But if there's any trouble, we'll have problems helping you…"

Glando stopped beside the Guards armed with explosive bullets, & gave the Supervisor an icy glare, "If there's 'trouble', no one will be ABLE to help me…"

"Well, perhaps we…" protested the Cell Block Supervisor.

"Whatever happens in there," Glando ordered quietly, "Follow your procedures…"

With that, Glando walked past the flamethrower squad, & into the room that held two seemingly harmless young girls…

The two Rave Clones sat at a small table, set against the far wall of a cubic room some 50-foot to a side.  Across the table from the girls, rested a single empty seat.

Glando walked in, not bothering to stop as the armoured door closed behind him.  He kept his brisk pace to the table, only then stopping to sit down.

"You know why we're here," Glando stated, rather than asked.

"Yes sir," 'Kuroko' & 'Chairoko' answered in unison, their heads bowed, & their expression contrite & embarrassed.

"You killed people," Glando stated, "Without direct orders to do so.  Why?"

"They were assaulting Shakey," chorused the duo.

"Shakey?" Glando said coldly, "You mean Pilot Atari, DON'T you?"

"Yes sir."

"In your own words," Glando demanded, pointing at Kuroko, "Tell me what happened after you left school today…"

"Yes Sir," replied Kuroko, "We left school around the usual time, in the company of Pilot Atari, & another student, Natsumi Iwakawa.  We were accompanying them in our assigned disguises of the twin sisters Kuroko & Chairoko Musume."

"Did Pilot Atari know who you really were?"

"I believe not sir.  In the time we have used these disguises, he has not made any comment, nor taken any action indicating he knew our real identities."

"I see," Glando murmured, then he pointed at Chairoko & said, "Proceed."

"We took the usual route towards Pilot Atari's mutual residence with his Guardian, making standard progress.  We were approaching one of the larger reconstruction areas when…"

"What do you mean?" Glando interrupted, "Reconstruction Area?"

"City infrastructure that due to damage, maintenance or upgrade, was scheduled to have work crews demolish, repair, or transform significant portions of it."

"Did you notice any such… work… in the area?"

"No sir.  There were no maintenance vehicles, or heavy plant in sight, nor did I notice any work groups in the area."

"Continue," Glando ordered Kuroko.

"We were continuing our journey, when a group of thirteen older students appeared in the walkway ahead of us.  They…"

"What made you think they were students?"

"They appeared to be in their late teenage years, & they were wearing uniforms of a local High School."

"Continue."

"They allowed the females in our party to pass, but they moved to block Pilot Atari, & surround him.  They hailed him, & asked…"

"Were they acting in an offensive manner at the time?"

"No sir, they were acting as many other male students do when greeting another."

"Continue," Glando ordered, pointing at Chairoko.

"They asked if he was Shakey Atari, & Pilot Atari answered in the affirmative.  Then they asked if he 'hung out with that tough bitch, Rave Imanonymous'.  He…"

"Do you understand what was meant by the term 'tough bitch'?"

"I believe it was meant as a derogatory comment, an insult, used to imply a female has unusual physical or social qualities, & thus is not a normal female."

Glando's lips twitched, but all he said was, "I see.  Continue."

"Pilot Atari replied by saying that Rave Imanonymous was not a bitch, his comments were interrupted when he suddenly fell…"

"Why did he fall over?"

"One of the group hit his walking stick with their foot…"

"Is that when the two of you attacked?" Glando demanded, pointing at Kuroko.

"No sir."

"Why not?"

"Because we were unsure if the action was deliberate, or accidental.  By the standards we have learned, Pilot Atari had not at that time suffered an assault requiring physical intervention."

"Continue."

"We asked Pilot Atari if he was all right, & that was when the group began kicking Pilot Atari."

"Is that when you attacked?" Glando asked, pointing at Chairoko.

"Yes sir.  We fought our way into the melee, incapacitating those in our way."

"Were you using lethal force at that time?"

"No sir.  We were attempting to extract Pilot Atari, with a view to retreating to a safer position."

"Then when did you start using lethal force?" Glando asked in a cold hard voice.

"After they produced weapons, sir."

"Why didn't you just disarm them?" Glando asked, pointing at Kuroko.

"Change of context sir.  The introduction of weapons, together with the way their attack was focussed on Pilot Atari, indicated the possibility of an assassination attempt on him."

"Weapons…" Glando said quietly, "Among the items recovered, were a variety of knives…  An ancient pistol, practically falling apart…  And a paintball gun.  These do not sound like the armament of a modern assassination squad."

"We had no knowledge of their ammunition loads, Sir.  We could not take the chance of explosive rounds or poisoned blades being used.  Nor could we ignore the possibility that their attack was a diversionary tactic for a sniper."

"So, your actions were purely reactive, based on situation context?"

"Yes sir."

"Good.  I am pleased your actions were in response to an unprovoked assault on essential personnel.  I could not expect you to have handled it any differently, given your training."

"Please Sir," Kuroko asked meekly, "How is Pilot Atari?"

Glando stared at her, then answered quietly, "He was knocked unconscious, & severely bruised.  Had he been alone, he might have been severely injured, or even killed.  Thanks to your actions, he got off lightly.  The Doctors say he should make a speedy recovery…"

The two girls seemed relieved.

Glando stood & walked to the door.

"Please Sir," the Clones called after him.

"Yes?" Glando turned to face them.

"Are we to be terminated?"

"Does it matter?" Glando asked coldly.

"No Sir," the Clones quietly replied.

Glando paused, then turned to the door & knocked three times on it.

The door swung slowly open, revealing packed ranks of armed guards, their various weapons aimed into the room.

Glando spoke with iron authority in his voice, "Stand down.  They are cleared of all charges.  Their Security status is reinstated, & they are free to move."

Glando turned to the two Clones as the sounds of dozens of weapons having their 'safeties' activated sounded behind him.  "Follow me," he said tonelessly.

With that, Glando walked out of the Maximum Security Block, & took the Clones to a nearby elevator.  They entered, & after the doors closed, Glando took a small console out of his pocket & pressed a sequence of buttons on it.  He peered intently at the readout for several seconds…

The Clones watched Glando silently.

Seemingly satisfied, Glando turned his attention from the hand held console to the two Clones with him.  He looked intently at them for several seconds then quietly asked… "Do you remember if anything… unusual… happened while you were fighting?"

Both Clones shook their heads.

"Nothing at all?" Glando urged, "No… strange feelings?"

The Clones paused, then shook their heads again.

Glando stared at the Clones for several moments.

"This scenario is not yet resolved," Glando finally murmured, "There will be repercussions from this…  You must be prepared to act exactly as… some people… expect you to…  Exactly as you've been trained to…  Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir."

"Good," Glando said, "Tell the others…"

"Yes Sir."

The elevator eventually came to a stop, & Glando escorted the two Clones to where Shakey Atari lay unconscious in a Hospital room.

Glando looked down at his injured son for several minutes, then he turned to the two Clones behind him, & spoke quietly to them…

"Effective immediately, you two will act as covert body guards for Pilot Atari.  Your sole duty is to protect him from any assault, or action you deem harmful.  He must be protected at all costs.  I expect at least one Clone, preferably more, to be within intervention distance at all times…"

The Clones nodded, a determined look on their faces as they took up protective positions on either side of the unconscious Shakey.

"I will officially inform the others about your new orders," Glando stated, "To help with logistics, I will authorise the creation of several new characters they can impersonate, as well as assigning more to impersonate your current character.  They should be ready in the next day or so."

"Will Shakey be told who we really are?" asked Chairoko.

Glando paused, as if weighing the options.  "Yes.  You are allowed to tell Shakey who you are, so he knows who to turn to in case of emergency.  Major Kutsarug will also be advised."

"One last thing," murmured Glando, "I would prefer that any… trouble makers… be kept alive & healthy enough to be interrogated…  Provided they can be taken, WITHOUT endangering Shakey or yourselves.  If the situation is questionable, then the preservation of HIS life is paramount.  Understand?"

"YES SIR!" the Clones exclaimed, as Glando stalked from the room.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Opinions.

Aesir picked through her supper, trying to convince herself that the healthy but tasteless hospital food was worth eating.

"Why can't they serve real food," Aesir whined, "Instead of this slop…"

Her explorations of her dinner plate were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Ms Skrewyou?" came an accented female voice, "May I come in?"

"Sure," Aesir sighed, "Everyone else already has…"

Into Aesir's room walked a tall European woman dressed in a lab coat, her legs clad in what looked like aerobic leggings & sneakers.  Her green eyes sparkled with life, & her sandy-brown hair was pulled back into a no-nonsense bun.

"Hi!" the woman said brightly with a smile, "I'm Regina Wimble-Spoone.  I've been assigned as your physiotherapist…"

"Hi," Aesir replied, with little enthusiasm, "So they've decided I'm worth rehabilitating, huh?"

"Oh come now," Regina cheerily countered, "No one would think otherwise…  By the way, how is my Japanese?"

"Understandable," Aesir confirmed, "Although you do speak with an accent…  I take it that you aren't a native speaker of Japanese?"

"Heavens no," Regina clarified, "I'm British…"

That got Aesir's attention, "British?"

"English, actually," Regina replied in classic nasal toned English.

"How's Big Ben?" Aesir enquired, asking after the famous Clock Bell of the drowned City of London.

"He's fine, thank you…" confirmed Regina, "The government built him a clock tower in New London.  We use the original tower as a lighthouse nowadays…"

"So why'd you come to Japan?" Aesir asked.

"Oh, you know," Regina shrugged, "The same old story…  When Britain got flooded, things just got too crowded for people to live decently…"

'Probably an educated refugee…' Aesir decided, 'One with talents that enabled her to make a new life elsewhere…  Unlike myself…'

"So how are you finding Japan," Aesir probed, wanting to avoid thinking about her own worthlessness.

Regina smiled, "A nice little country with some quaint customs, but it's really no substitute for the home I had…"

'She's like me,' Aesir concluded, as she started to warm to the presence of the other woman, 'A stranger in a strange land…'

Aesir smiled despite herself, "So…  How much work do I have to do?"

Regina was suddenly all business, "Well, that depends on what level of fitness you want to have…  And when!"

Elsewhere, Glando Atari watched the meeting via monitor, along with Fu2ok, & the female doctor who had visited Aesir earlier in the day.

"As you can see Commander," said Dr Wang, "The patient will open up to someone she considers a 'familiar face', even though they are a stranger, rather than to someone she perceives as a 'foreigner', such as myself."

"I see," Glando admitted, "Dr Wang, you will continue as Aesir's 'official' therapist.  Dr Wimble-Spoone will act as Aesir's Physiotherapist, & covertly observe your patient.  Report to me daily on the effect the medication has…"

Glando walked off, leaving Dr Wang looking after him with a raised eyebrow.

"Is he always like that?" Dr Wang asked Fu2ok, once Glando had disappeared.

Fu2ok suppressed a laugh, "Interested in him as a patient?"

"Sorry," Dr Wang apologised, "I tend to analyse everyone I meet…  It's a professional quirk…"

"I understand," Fu2ok nodded, "But I feel that I must warn you, do NOT try to analyse the Commander…"

"Oh?  Why not?"

"Because you'll go crazy trying to understand all of his different faces…"

"Does he have a multiple personality disorder?" Dr Wang asked cautiously, "If so, there are a range of treatments available."

Fu2ok chuckled before answering with, "That's… not what I meant.  The Commander has a bad habit of keeping people guessing as to what he'll do & say next.  I'm afraid the only analytical image you'll ever get of him, is the one he wants you to have of him…"

"A secretive man…" mused Dr Wang.

"Very," Fu2ok quipped dryly, aware that his humour might be lost on the doctor…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Black & Blue.

Glando Atari stood in the Canteen area of the Clone Zone, before an assembly of all of the able-bodied Clones.  The Clones stood to attention in neat ranks, wearing dark coloured 'Black Ops' SWAT gear.

Glando swept an approving eye over the 'dressed to kill' Clones.

Glando cleared his throat to get the Clones attention, then raised his voice & began to speak, "As you may already know…  Shakey Atari was injured today by a gang of hoodlums.  His life was saved through the actions of two Rave Clones."

"Tactical analysis of the event, reveals that the gang involved was trying to increase the area of their social dominance.  In-depth analysis, indicates the potential for similar actions by other gangs."

"In the past, NERVIS has ignored such groups.  We have left their control to Local Law Enforcement Agencies."

"Today's attack has changed that.  NERVIS has enough work protecting Humanity from Alien attack, without worrying about having essential personnel attacked by groups of social delinquents.  To prevent any repeat, or future variation of this situation, I have decided to take pre-emptive suppressive action."

"You will shortly begin an operation to 'aggressively persuade' any remaining gangs, that it is NOT in their best interests to cause any further trouble…  You will be given mission particulars on the way to your target locations.  At the drop zone, you will confiscate or destroy, all weaponry or illegal items your targets may have in their possession."

"And yes," Glando gave a cold smile, "Use of Lethal Force is authorised, & RECOMMENDED for anyone using any sort of weapon against you…  Are there any general questions?"

"Please Sir," several of the Clones chorused anxiously, "How is Shakey?"

"Pilot Atari…" replied Glando, "Is currently unconscious in Hospital.  I have been advised by the Medical Staff, that his condition is stable, & improving.  They believe he should be conscious within a few hours, & make a full recovery within days…"

A collective sigh of relief swept like a zephyr through the Clones.

"But," stressed Glando, "IF the Rave Clones had not intervened, things would have been much worse…  He could very well have died…  Remember that…"

As one, the Clones nodded, grim looks on their faces.

"Are there any more general questions?" Glando looked around, checking for any further request for information, "No?  Well then…  Your transports are waiting below, the mission begins now…"

The Clones began an orderly dispersal, filling the elevators that would take them to the Loading Dock below.

Glando walked over to a wall phone, & made a call.

"I've given them their new orders," Glando said quietly to the other person answering the phone, "They're moving out now…  Make sure the Media continue to have… suitable diversions…"

Glando paused to listen, then a look of contempt spread across his face, "If the Police had done their jobs properly in the first place, we wouldn't have to do their work for them now.  If anything, they should be grateful."

Glando paused, & a scowl crossed his face, "In that case, I'll be happy to advise them, that next time I feel a need to step in & do their job FOR them, I'll also take the time to step ON them as well…"

Glando paused, his next words were accompanied by a crooked smirk, "Altruistic?  No, I'd call it… 'insurance'.  Controlling vermin who have proven their ability to be a nuisance to us, can only be a good thing…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - A Short Watch.

Every city has areas that the 'people in charge' would like to ignore.  In the case of an ultra-modern City recently built as a fortress against Alien attack, such areas were usually the ones damaged in the fighting.

The evidence of the grim battle for survival was a constant weight on the morale of the inhabitants of the City.  Despite attempts to repair things promptly, the situation far outweighed the abilities of the rebuilding crews.

In an effort to make the best use of manpower & materials, many damaged areas had been either abandoned outright, or else put in the bottom of the 'to do' basket of the restoration workgroups.

The war had taken a toll on more than just the buildings in the City.  Every citizen had a 'war story', or tale of woe to tell.  Either something that had happened to them personally, or, as was most often the case, someone they knew.

Many citizens were unable to cope with the horrors they faced.  Overwhelmed by grief or post traumatic shock syndrome, they drifted out to society's fringes, living ghosts destined to live & die in obscurity…

Among the broken husks & shattered streets of the abandoned sectors, the subjects of many of those 'war stories' lived however they could.  However, among the members of society's scrap heap, lurked those who chose to be in the abandoned areas for another, more sinister reason.

That of being out of sight of the City's security cameras, & consequently the knowledge of those who enforced Society's legal standards…

One such group met regularly in an abandoned building.  They held their meetings under lights using electricity stolen from jury-rigged power cables.  Outside, their garishly painted motorcycles gave clear warning that a gang of 'bosozoku' had claimed this piece of turf as their own. (NOTE! Boso = reckless driving, zoku = gang.  Often a gang of teenage delinquents with motor bikes)

Hidden from the scrutiny of the Police & Security Forces, the gang partook of their latest spoils.  Several dozen cans of beer stolen from a vending machine.  The adolescent males swaggered & boasted about their activities, as adolescent males are wont to do, while under the influence of alcohol…

"Hey!" yelled one of the gang, "Someone gimme another!"

"Get it yourself!" came the reply.

Outside the impromptu beer hall, a couple of low-ranking members 'stood guard' over the gang's bikes.  Armed with nail-studded baseball bats, the pair wore the gang 'uniform' of red t-shirt, black jeans, & black vest.  Aged somewhere in their mid-teens, they showed the usual afflictions of their age group, insecurity, low self-esteem, & acne…

"Think they'll leave us any?" the youngest asked hopefully.

The slightly elder guard coughed, & spat in the gutter.  "Don't be stupid…  They'll drink all of it themselves… as usual…"

"I wish I was inside, rather than out here…" the first guard said unhappily.

"Just how it is," the second guard commented, idly tapping his weapon against the pavement, "When we've risen far enough in the gang, we'll be the ones living it up inside, instead of standing around outside doing nothing…"

"You ain't doing 'nothing'…" a firm voice announced unexpectedly.

"Sabu!" exclaimed the two guards, straightening their posture as the 'Sabu', or Sub-Leader of the gang appeared from out of the dark.

"You're watching out for any thieving zoku who thinks he can steal our bikes…" the Sabu commented.  (NOTE! Zoku is gang member, but by itself, usually refers to a type of gang without 'transport')

"Yes Sabu," the two guards chorused.

The Sabu walked off into the den, & the two guards slumped in relief as they were once again left to themselves.

"Man," said the older guard with relief, "I'm glad that was the Sabu, & not the Atama…" (NOTE! Atama = head, or leader of the gang)

"Yeah…" the other agreed, "If he'd snuck up on us, we'd really be in for it…"

"Catch!" came an order from behind the guards.

The two guards spun around, reacting just in time to catch two cans of beer as they sailed out from the den.

The Sabu grinned from the doorway, "From what I remember, being a guard is thirsty work…  Have one on me…"

"Thank you sir!" the guards replied enthusiastically.

The Sabu merely nodded before returning to the party…

The two guards drank their single beers, feeling more camaraderie towards the Sabu, than they did towards any of the other gang members.

"Man," said the younger guard, "I wish the others were like the Sabu…"

The older guard burped his agreement, & crushed his empty can.

"Catch," came a voice from the darkened parking lot.

Remembering their recent experience, both guards reflexively grabbed the objects that sailed towards them from the darkness.

They barely had time to realise what they'd just caught, before the grenades in their hands exploded…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Shades of Red.

On the fringes of one 'abandoned zone', another gang hideout was about to receive the 'personal attention' of the Rave Clones…

This particular hideout actually existed in a 'normal' part of the City, but backed onto a localised pocket of destruction.  Access to the building was either from the brightly lit 'main' street, or from roller garage doors & a loading dock at the rear of the building.

The loading dock opened onto a narrow alley, with burnt out husks of buildings on either side.  Across from the opening to the alley, was the tangled wreckage of a partly demolished building.

Two large men in trench coats & sunglasses stood guard over the alley that lead to the loading dock.  They wore their coats as capes, & the way their coats moved, indicated that there were probably rifles or shotguns beneath them.

One man stood guard at the loading dock, while the second patrolled the street leading to the alley.  He would walk from side to side, peering up & down the street, as if waiting for someone to arrive.  Periodically, he would walk back to the loading dock, & trade places with the other man.

Across from the alley, the Clones known as #18 & #19 waited quietly for the order to go into action.

From the distance, the sound of motors grew increasingly louder, & suddenly several cars came towards the alleyway.

The cars all had various 'hoon' modifications on them.  They thundered noisily through the alleyway & into a hidden garage behind one of the roller doors.  The Guards stood aside, inclining their heads in recognition of the hails & catcalls of the other gang members.

#18 to Ops #18 sent to the other Clones, Targets have arrived

Confirmed, #18 sent the Clones coordinating the operation, Stand by…

After the roller doors shut, the guards went back to their usual routine.

The walking man came to the end of one of his patrol sweeps, out of sight of the other guard.  He turned to go back, & that was when #18 stood up, & threw a chunk of debris at the man's head.  With a muffled crunch, the debris hit the man's temple, sinking partly into his skull.  Blood pulsed out from the wound, as the man collapsed.

First Guard is down confirmed #18 Second has not seen incident

#18 stood ready with another piece of debris held in her hand, providing cover as Clone #19 swiftly left her hiding place, & went to the fallen guard.  #19 quickly twisted the man's neck & broke it, before checking his body.  She turned up an American M-16 assault rifle, & a large sheath knife.

#19 to Ops…  First guard armed with M-16 & sheath knife

#19 took the weapon, & slunk back into the rubble.  Once there, she checked the gun, & targeted the second guard.

#19 to Ops.  Have acquired 'line of fire' on second guard.  Standing by…

Confirmed #19 Ops sent back, #18 & #19?  Contain all runners on your side

That was when screams & the sounds of gunfire came from the far side of the building.  The second guard produced an M-16, & yelled out to the first guard.

…That was when #19 blew the man's brains out…

- - - - - - - - - -

Clone #75 crouched behind a disintegrating brick wall, as a gang member fired at her position with a rifle.  She counted silently, noting the blast of each round from the gun aimed in her direction.  On reaching 'zero', she listened intently for the sound of a firing pin hitting an empty chamber.

A click & swear words informed her that her target had finally run out of ammunition.  #75 quickly rolled out from behind her cover, & towards another sheltering wall, assessing the situation.

The gang member was frantically trying to fit another magazine into his rifle.

#75 changed the direction of her roll, coming up into a run as she dashed towards her target.

The gang member finally managed to get his gun loaded, & started firing again at #75.  At Point Blank Range…

#75 never felt the slugs hit her Kevlar armour.  She closed with her target, one of her arms sweeping the barrel of the weapon aside, her other fist punching deep into the gang member's abdomen, just below his sternum.  A cry gasped out from the gang member, as #75's fist curved upwards, compressing the man's heart muscle before rupturing it.

In the silence after the gunshots, the death rattle of the dying man overwhelmed any sounds #75 made as she secured the rifle.

#75 to Ops sent #75, Target tracked & eliminated.  Reallocation?

Negative sent one of the Clones in the Hospital ward who were 'overseeing' the operation in secret, Head to Pick Up.  Notify when Clear of Burn Zone…

#75 wasted no time in getting out of the building.

#75 Clear of Burn Zone #75 sent, after checking with the 'map' in the group mind of the Clones, Repeat, #75 confirms clearance of Burn Zone…

The only response to her unspoken statement, was a sudden 'whoomph' as the building behind her exploded into flames…

- - - - - - - - - -

In one hideout, Clones #38 & #44 simply walked right on in…

"Hey!" yelled one surprised gang member as he saw them, "We got Pigs!"

The Clones suddenly found themselves facing over two dozen thugs, all of whom were armed with an assortment of knives, machetes, lead pipes, & baseball bats.

"You wanna come GET some Piggie?" sneered the leader of the thugs, relishing the seemingly lop-sided odds, "Well come on then…  Show us what ya got!"

Being Polite Young Ladies, the Clones graciously accepted the invitation…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Review.

Across the City, battles flared briefly, their full extent obscured by the building fires that marked the inevitable conclusion of each battle.

In his Office, Glando Atari quietly watched several monitors on his desk.

Most had live video feeds from the Security teams monitoring individual battles.  Others displayed maps of the scenes involved, or covered the near 'non-existent' Media coverage of several explosive 'Gas Leaks' in the demolition zones.  One small monitor had a 'spike' graph that randomly bobbed up & down.

Glando watched that monitor with a grim look of satisfaction on his face.  His advisor Fu2ok however, wore a look of pained distaste…

"Is a 'scorched earth' policy really necessary?" Fu2ok asked, his eyes on the scene of one newly created conflagration.

"Fire is cleansing…" Glando replied, watching as a building erupted with the blast from Thermal explosives, "It will hide any trace of our involvement…"

"What about the survivors?" Fu2ok queried, "How will we handle them?"

Glando didn't answer.

"Atari?" Fu2ok repeated quietly as a dark suspicion rose within him, "What about the survivors?  How will we deal with them & their eyewitness accounts?"

"There won't be any survivors," Glando murmured.

"You…" Fu2ok said in a weak voice, "Tell me you didn't…"

Glando remained silent.

Fu2ok slumped down into a chair, breathing raggedly.  "You gave them orders… didn't you?" he said, staring accusingly at Glando.

"When I authorised this operation," Glando replied quietly, "I did not order a wholesale extermination…  I did however, recommend that the Clones use lethal force against anyone using any sort of weapons against them…"

"Then explain that!…" demanded Fu2ok, as one monitor showed a single clone effortlessly killing a group of punks who were only armed with broom handles.

"ANY sort of weapons," Glando clarified, "It appears that the Clones interpreted my order to mean any object, that in THEIR hands, with THEIR training, could kill someone…"

"…oh God…" moaned Fu2ok, putting his head in his heads.

"The fault is mine," Glando muttered, "I should have been more… definitive… when phrasing my orders to them…"

"…what's the body count…?" Fu2ok asked weakly.

"Clones, nil," Glando calmly replied, "Gang members… over a hundred…"

Fu2ok fell silent.

"I do have some good news," Glando pointed at the monitor with the changing graph.

"What is it?" Fu2ok asked sourly, "Kills per second?"

"No," advised Glando, "E.T. Fields currently detected by our sensors…"

"WHAT?"

Glando smiled, "It seems that either our sensor system needs a complete overhaul, or…"

"They're producing E.T. Fields…" Fu2ok gasped in shock.

At many places in the City, flames roared high into the night as fire consumed buildings.  The City's automated emergency systems detected the unusual amounts of thermal energy, & alerted the Emergency Fire Services.

Meanwhile, other sensors tallied the unusual energies kindled by the bodies of the Rave Clones…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Revelations.

Shakey Atari woke up in a Hospital bed, feeling very out of it.

"Try not to move," a soft voice said.

Shakey turned his head in the direction of the voice & immediately regretted it.  It wasn't so much the pain that scared him, but the feeling of a cervical support collar around his neck, & the realisation that he was strapped down.

"…wh-what?" Shakey began to feel real fear.

The face of Kuroko Musume came into his field of vision, "You should not try to move.  Your injuries are not serious, but excess movement at this time will only aggravate them.  You must rest & let yourself heal."

Through the fog he was in, Shakey was aware Kuroko was wearing the uniform of a Hospital assistant, or 'Candy Striper'.  'What's she doing here?' he wondered, 'This is Hospital… isn't it?'

Shakey became aware of a murmuring from the other side of the room.

A few seconds later, the sound of a door opening reached him, & then Mazurka's concerned face appeared above him.

"Shakey?" Mazurka gently asked, "Can you hear me?"

"…yeah…" Shakey mumbled, "…what's going on?"

"Don't you remember?" Mazurka asked, looking intently at him, "Coming home?"

Shakey paused, then he shivered as he remembered, "…i got beaten up?"

Mazurka sighed, "Yes!  You got beaten up, if it weren't for the Girls…" Mazurka suddenly stopped, & bit her lower lip.

"…why," asked Shakey, as some part of his brain proved it was functioning above its usual performance level, "…is Kuroko here?"

Mazurka opened her mouth to speak, but was prevented by Kuroko.

"I will explain it to him…"

Kuroko bent over Shakey.  Her next words sent a chill through him.

"We are sorry, but we had orders…"

Then Kuroko fumbled with one of her eyes, producing a dark-coloured contact lens, & revealing a crimson iris.

"I am #6," Kuroko said calmly, "Chairoko is #5.  Mazurka did not know this either.  She does now."

"…oh…" was all Shakey could say.

Kuroko#6 continued, "We neutralised your assailants, & provided First Aid for you.  Security took us to Secure Medical premises.  You have been unconscious for several hours.  Do not worry, your injuries are minor…"

"…Natsumi?" Shakey asked, "…she was there?"

"Yes," Kuroko#6 replied, "She was taken into Protective Custody until this situation could be resolved.  She was released a few hours later, & her family given protection."

"…protection?"

"I'd better tell him," said Mazurka, pushing Kuroko out of Shakey's line of view, "Yes.  Protection…  It seems that when Rave took out those creeps that attacked her, it created a 'power vacuum' among the local Teen gangs.  This attack against you, was a way of testing Rave's perceived strength & authority."

"…don't understand…" Shakey mumbled.

Mazurka sighed, "It seems that the other thugs in the area decided to see if they could gain some 'turf'…  Namely, that of the gang Rave broke up…"

"…great…" Shakey moaned, "…how many more times am I going to get beat up?"

Mazurka coughed & looked embarrassed, "Actually…  None…"

"…huh?  There were only two gangs?"

"Nooooo," Mazurka drawled, "It's just that…" She paused, clearly embarrassed by what she had to tell Shakey, "It's just that… your father… decided to settle things… once & for all…"

"…what did he do…?" Shakey asked fearfully.

"He called a 'pre-emptive suppressive action'," advised an out of sight Kuroko#6, "Squads of Rave Clones fought all of the various gangs, & convinced them not to cause any further trouble.  It only took a few hours…"

Mazurka remained silent as she reflected on the body count involved…

"…so…" Shakey whined, "…when can I get out of here…?"

Mazurka smiled, "The doctors say you should be able to go home tomorrow.  Don't worry, the neck brace & restraints are overkill.  They didn't want to take any chances with the injuries you already had."

Mazurka leaned in close & whispered, "Or at least, not with your father's perception of their care of you."

"Sheesh Atari!" a familiar male voice came from the direction of the doorway, "What happened to the other guys?"

Shakey's eyes widened in recognition, "…Toe-jam?  Is that you?"

"I'll leave you two to get reacquainted," Mazurka made for the door, "I have some errands to run."

"Well?" asked a smiling Toe-jam, as a 'Candy Stripe' uniformed Chairoko pushed his wheelchair over, "Did you break their arses, or what?"

"…or what, I guess…" Shakey smiled, happy to indulge in a Macho Bull Session with his friend, "…it's good to see you again, Toe-jam!"

"Since I'm so welcome, I'll visit more often," Toe-jam grinned, "Especially since I'm bunking just down the hall…  Oh, by the way, if you hear any snoring during the night, it's NOT me!"

Shakey laughed, "…no worries…"

"Ach!" came a sound of disgust from the doorway.

Toe-jam turned his head to see what the commotion was about, & immediately turned back around, a sour look on his face.

"Incoming…" Toe-jam warned Shakey.

Into Shakey's field of view came the reason for Toe-jam's reaction.

Aesir…  Hobbling along under her own power on a pair of crutches.

"Guten Nacht, Shakey," Aesir said pleasantly, despite the apparent effort it took her to use the crutches.  (Note!  Guten Nacht = Good Evening/Night)

"…good evening, Aesir," Shakey replied, "Glad to see you're up & about again…"

"Only just," moaned Aesir, as she plopped herself down into a visitor's chair provided by Kuroko#6, "I've lost so much muscle tone it's not funny…"

"…sorry to hear that," Shakey commiserated, "…what do the doctors say?"

Aesir shrugged, "A few weeks of physiotherapy should get me back to normal…"

"Huh," Toe-jam grunted under his breath,  "Take more than a few weeks of physio-anything to make you normal…"

"Guten Nacht to you too, ARSCHLOCH!" growled Aesir in Toe-jam's direction.  (Note!  Arschloch = A--E Hole)

"I'll come back & see you later, Shakey," Toe-jam confided while glaring at Aesir, "When the room don't smell like 'Sour Kraut'…"

"YOU!" Aesir suddenly brandished a crutch in Toe-jam's general direction.

Fortunately for Toe-jam, Chairoko#5 quickly wheeled him out of harm's way.

Aesir sat in her chair, huffing from the exertion of being mad at Toe-jam.

"Miss Skrewyou?" announced Kuroko#6, "Visiting Hours are over, & Patient Atari needs his rest.  You will have to leave."

Aesir looked disappointed, "Oh well…  It can't be helped…"

Aesir hauled herself to her feet, & stumbled over to the edge of Shakey's bed.  She rested on her crutches just looking at Shakey for several seconds, then she hesitantly reached out & gently squeezed his hand.

Kuroko#6 blinked as she observed Aesir's actions, feeling a sense of Déjà vu from when Shakey visited the Clones that morning.

"Thanks for the flowers…" Aesir said quietly, her face slightly pink.  Then she turned & hobbled out of the room, before Shakey could think up a reply…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Assessment.

Glando Atari sat in his office, surrounded by STEELY Holograms.

"We are almost within schedule," Glando stated, "I foresee no further problems."

STEELY: And what of the other tests?

"They are providing mixed results.  Although we have not yet tested a sufficient number to be absolutely sure, I believe the majority will be salvageable."

STEELY: I certainly hope so.

STEELY: Why have you assigned them as bodyguards to your son.

"Merely a precaution.  We only have one viable AVE pilot at this time."

STEELY: Which you nearly lost!

Glando protested, "Because I expected agencies NOT under my control to do their job properly!  Still, it did give us an excuse to 'blood' the Clones…"

STEELY: Yes, the field test of the Clones was impressive.

STEELY: If overdue.

"They are performing to expected specifications," Glando asserted, "They have not yet reached their peak, so performance should only improve…"

STEELY: When will they be ready, Atari?

"When they have finished the AVE pilot tests, I will conduct a thorough review.  The findings will be presented for your… consideration…"

STEELY: Are you sure about that, Atari?'

STEELY: Hundreds of E.T. Fields have recently been detected in your City…

STEELY: Mostly when your Clones were taking action…

STEELY: Have they started to develop their powers?

"Unfortunately, no," Glando replied in neutral tones, "The erroneous detection of E.T. Fields was due to software & hardware problems…  It's all in the report compiled by the Maintenance crews…"

The Holograms fell silent, & Glando patiently waited for them to finish their secret deliberations.

Suddenly, the Holograms came back.

STEELY: Very well.

STEELY: We will await your final report.

With that, the holograms vanished, leaving Glando alone in his office once more.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Interpretations.

In the Clone Zone, the Clones had bedded down for the night, the events of the past day swirling through their minds.

Shakey was surprised to see me observed #13.

He was surprised to know we were Clones sent #5 & #6.

The Commander said Shakey will heal

Still… It is regrettable that he was injured

YES

Now that we are guarding him…  We can prevent further injury…

We will try

As Rave#2 tried

As #12 tried

As I succeeded! sent #12, from her Hospital bed.

As we succeeded! sent #5 & #6.

He appreciated Rave#2's efforts the Group Mind remembered.

As he did mine sent #12, He brought me flowers…

He brought all of the wounded flowers…

As he did Pilot Skrewyou…

Does he appreciate her as well?

A faint sense of unease ran through the Group Mind.

He was happy to see she was better…

As he was with me… sent #12.

He let Pilot Skrewyou hold his hand…

As he let me hold his hand… sent #12, a little uneasily.

Perhaps…  He does appreciate Pilot Skrewyou as well…

The Group Mind was troubled.

Pilot Skrewyou is often abusive towards Shakey…

Yet, he enjoys her company…

We are not abusive towards Shakey…

Yet, he enjoys our company…

The Group mind puzzled over this apparent inconsistency.

Pilot Skrewyou went to see Shakey…

She was on crutches…

It was not easy for her to walk…

But she went to see Shakey…

Does she appreciate him that much?

Is that why she exerted herself to go & see him?

Does she appreciate him as much as we do?

Does she appreciate him more than we do?

Is that why Shakey appreciates her?

Despite the way she often treats him?

Because she shows him, how much she appreciates him?

The Group Mind fell silent as its individual components considered things.

We must show him that we appreciate him!

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Welcome Back.

As per Mazurka's advice, Shakey was discharged from Hospital the next morning.

He was given orders to use his walking stick until he fully healed, & ordered to rest & recuperate at Mazurka's for a few days, before going back to school.

'Oh Great!' thought Shakey unhappily, 'I'll take things easy all right…  I'll have to!  All I can do is lie down, & listen to the garbage accumulate…'

Shakey sighed deeply, then hobbled over to Mazurka's car.  He was surprised to see Kuroko sitting in the back of Mazurka's car while Chairoko stood outside.

"I'm giving them a lift home," Mazurka explained to Shakey, "You're in back…"

Shakey slowly got into the back seat of Mazurka's car, helped in no small way by Kuroko & Chairoko.

"Thanks," Shakey wheezed, feeling a bit peaky after the exertion.

Shakey wore an unhappy expression on his face as Mazurka drove.

"Why so glum?" Mazurka asked the unhappy boy in the back seat.

"I can't DO anything…" Shakey replied, "There's all that housework, & I'm not fit enough to do anything about it…"

"Just leave it," shrugged Mazurka, "It'll still be there when you feel better…"

Shakey groaned, "That's not the point…"

"Would you be happier if we got a maid in?" Mazurka teased.

"That'll be the day," Shakey muttered.

At Mazurka's apartment, Shakey saw a Moving Company truck in the parking lot.

'Someone's probably leaving while they still can…' Shakey thought.  He was surprised when Kuroko & Chairoko followed him into the elevator.

"They're to act as your body guards for the time being," Mazurka replied to Shakey's puzzled expression, "Don't worry, it's only until you get home."

Shakey blinked in surprise when the elevator doors opened, & he noticed that the Moving Company was shifting things into the apartment next door to Mazurka's.

'We must have new neighbours…' Shakey thought, 'I wonder what they're like…'

Mazurka opened the door to her apartment, & all four trooped inside.

"Welcome home, Shakey," Mazurka said warmly, "I have paperwork to do at the office, so if you need anything, the girls here can get it for you."

"…ah," gasped Shakey, "What do you mean?  I thought they were only going to be my body guards until we got home?"

"That's right," Mazurka confirmed with a smile, "However, until you're fit enough to go to school again, they'll be our live-in maids…"

"Live-In?" Shakey exclaimed in horror, "Mazurka!  You know what happened last time Rave slept over here!"

"Don't worry," Mazurka said dismissively, "They won't be sleeping here…"

"That's a relief," Shakey sighed, gratefully sagging into a chair one of the Clones thoughtfully provided for him.

"They'll be sleeping next door," Mazurka continued.

"Ne-next door?"

"Shakey," Mazurka grinned, putting a hand on a shoulder of each of the Clones, "Say hello to our new neighbours…"

With both Clones looking expectantly at him, Shakey could only give in to the inevitable…

"…h-hello…" wheezed Shakey.

The Clones smiled.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Back to School.

Like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, Shakey finally emerged from Mazurka's to a different world from what he'd previously known.

That became apparent on his first day back at school…

Kuroko & Chairoko walked Shakey to school that day, as was now their new habit.  Or as Shakey suspected, the habit of the Clones impersonating them that day.

At school, Shakey was greeted by 'Rave', who was already seated.

Shakey went to take his own seat, only to stop in surprise as he noticed a small vase on his desk with a single yellow rose in it.

'It must be a mistake,' Shakey looked around the classroom, wondering who could have put them there, 'Unless, someone is playing a joke on me?'

Then Shakey noticed that the various Rave Clones in his classroom, were acting somewhat nervous, & things had clicked.

"Is this from one of you?" Shakey whispered to a Rave Clone near him.

"From all of us…" came the shy reply.

"Does it 'say' anything?" Shakey asked, remembering taking flowers to the injured Clones just a few days previously.

The Clone looked him in his eyes, & whispered one word, "Friendship…"

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 10 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Personal Demons.

**SLAP!** the sound of a palm striking a face echoed through the room, abruptly ending Shakey's personal tirade.

"DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!" Mazurka demanded, "If she hadn't been with you, she couldn't have saved you!  You'd be in the Morgue instead of a Hospital bed!"

Stunned by Mazurka's actions, Shakey merely put a hand to his burning cheek.

Mazurka steamed ahead, "I know you feel bad about this…  But you have to stop dwelling on things you can't change, & DEAL with reality!"

"In that case," Shakey asked in pained tones, "Can I please have a painkiller?"

"Painkiller?" the comment caught Mazurka off guard, "Are you supposed to ask for that?  It's not in my copy of the script…"

"Neither is your hand hitting my injured cheek," whined Shakey, "It's the other one you were supposed to hit…"

"Oh!" gasped an embarrassed Mazurka, "I'm so sorry!  MEDIC!"

The Fan Fiction Writer shook his head in embarrassment.  "Even the best of us slip up every now & then…" he lamented, as he hastily rewrote the script so that the correct cheek was CLEARLY specified.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - The Long Watch.

"You know what happened?"

"Yes."

Mazurka took a deep breath, then asked in no-nonsense tones, "HOW?"

Rave paused before answering, "Would you believe… Woman's Intuition?…"

"I don't think so," Mazurka disagreed, "You're only, what?  15 or so years old?"

"That's old enough to be a woman in many cultures," Rave Clone #13 asserted.

"Huh," scoffed Mazurka, "Not if you're a woman who 'doesn't bleed' it's not!"

The Clone blushed, she'd forgotten that enigmatic comment from the TV series…

"Well…" The Clone persisted, "Officially, I'm Japanese, so that means I should qualify for 'Inscrutable Oriental', doesn't it?  Add that to my being female, & it should be close enough…"

Mazurka paused, then grudgingly admitted, "Okay, I'll buy that…  Especially since this is being written by a White, Middle-Aged, Western Male, & you're supposed to be a Teenaged Japanese Girl…"

"Who also pilots a Giant Robot-like genetic construct," Rave Clone#13 added.

"Yeah," agreed Mazurka, "All up, your lifestyle is so far removed from the writer's, that he might as well be waffling on about 'Women's Intuition'…  Something he's never had, & never will, this side of a sex-change operation…"

"HEY!" protested the Fan Fiction Writer, "I can TOO write about Woman's Intuition!  I got seven sisters, eleven nieces, a couple of aunts, a mother…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Atonement#1.

"…what else haven't I been told?" Shakey sighed.

"Probably lots," Mazurka deadpanned, before turning to Rave & asking, "What about you?  Do you know anything we don't?"

Rave didn't reply.

"Could you tell us if you did?" Mazurka pressed.

Rave was silent, then sighed deeply & said, "I believe the Fan Fiction Writer has either made another grammatical error, or else has failed to adequately refine the dialog he wished to use in your conversation.

"Huh?" Mazurka, Shakey & the Fan Fiction Writer chorused in synch.

Rave went into 'Lecture Mode', "You said 'Do you know anything we don't?'  For me to adequately answer that, I would first have to learn everything that you do, then compare it to my own knowledge, before I could determine any discrepancies…"

"Oh," the others chorused in enlightenment.

"So what should I do?" asked the Fan Fiction Writer, "Go back & change it?"

"No" said Rave, "Leave it as it is…  You can pass it off as a test of your reader's intuitive intellectual abilities, when it comes to interpreting contemporary cultural phraseology in your work."

"Err…  Yeah, okay," agreed the Fan Fiction Writer, breaking into a nervous sweat at the number of 'big words' in the preceding paragraph, "I'll… take your word for it, Rave…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Atonement#2

"Hmmm," Mazurka hummed through pursed lips, obviously considering Shakey's statement, "Allows for quantity of bloomage, but the quality may suffer, & what you're really trying to say might not get through…"

"What **I'M** trying to say?" Shakey protested.

"Sure," Mazurka quipped, "Just like in the old saying, 'Say it With Flowers'…"

The next day, Glando Atari, Evil B-----D In Charge of the NERVIS base, received a 12 foot tall crate, marked 'URGENT - Special Delivery' from 'Inter Flora'.

"What could this be?" Glando asked himself as he used a crowbar to open the mystery crate, "The note said 'With Purest Intentions', so it must be something really good since it came in such a big box from 'Inter Flora'…"

Glando took the top off & was just looking hopefully inside the crate, when the 'Triffid' plant it contained, suddenly realised that breakfast was being served…

"Ah yes," the Fan Fiction Writer sniffed, getting all teary eyed by the emotions expressed in the foregoing OMAKE, "If someone REALLY means something to you, by all means DO let them know how you feel about them!  And there's NO BETTER way than to 'say it with flowers'…"

"Although," the Fan Fiction Writer continued, a gleam of malevolent altruism in his eyes, "For someone like Glando, most people would agree that sending them a giant man-eating plant like a 'Triffid' would CERTAINLY do the job…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Absolution#1.

"…as she said…" #12 said quietly, "…I… we… will protect you…"

Then #12 did the unexpected…  She reached out with her good hand, & grabbed Shakey by the front of his shirt, pulling him off balance & down on top of her.

#12's face was inches away from Shakey's own, & she gazed deeply into his eyes at close range.

"…I know you care for me…" said #12, her warm breath caressing Shakey's face.

"Uh…" Shakey replied, totally unsure of what to do or say.

"…I care for you…" #12 stated, her cheeks suddenly pink, & her gaze warmer…

Shakey blushed deeply.

"…would you like to become one with me?" #12 husked breathlessly, "…to be of one mind & body?"

"…ah…?" Shakey blushed tomato red, as he tried to squirm out of #12's grasp…

Outside in the hallway, Mazurka was worriedly pacing back & forth.

'I hope Shakey realises that the Girls don't hold 12's injuries against him…' Mazurka thought worriedly, 'He's been so cut up about it, that…'

Mazurka's thoughts were interrupted by loud screams from the Clones' Ward.

Suddenly the doors to the Clones' ward burst open, & a panicked Shakey stumbled out, falling onto the floor.

Mazurka opened her mouth to ask what the matter was, but stopped in shock as dozens of tentacles suddenly lashed through the open doorway, wrapped around Shakey, & dragged the screaming & VERY red faced boy back inside.

The door to the Clones' Ward thundered shut, as closing doors in scenes like this often do…

"…wha-haa?" gurgled Mazurka, sweating nervously as the situation totally weirded her out.

"Do not be concerned," a Rave Clone near Mazurka said, raising her voice to be heard over the muffled sounds of mayhem that filtered out from the Clones' Ward.

"…?…" Mazurka turned to the Clone, wordlessly expressing her question by pointing a trembling hand at the ominously shut door.

The Rave Clone shrugged, "We are showing him that we still like him…"

Mazurka did NOT look reassured, "H-has the Fan Fiction Writer been watching 'Species' again?" she asked worriedly.

"No," stated the Clone.

"Legend of th-the Overfiend?" Mazurka croaked, her eyes widening.

"No."

"ANY sort of Anime 'Tentacle-Flick'?" Mazurka squeaked, white-faced at the thought that the story might be veering into 'Adult' territory.

"No."

Mazurka slumped against a wall, obviously relieved at the news.

The Clone helpfully advised "He has been watching John Carpenter's 'The Thing' instead…"

The Fan Fiction Writer felt a need to explain…

'Species' is a movie about a… 'Lady'… who isn't QUITE human who gets… err… 'Romantically Obsessed'… about a particular Human (To put it mildly…)

'Legend of the Overfiend' & Anime 'Tentacle-Flicks' are a sort of 'horror' genre in which monsters with extremely lecherous… 'tentacles' have their… 'wicked way' with… um… 'unwilling' human partners…  Usually female, and/or teens/schoolgirls…

Since this **IS** 'Altered Lives', you **WON'T** be seeing anything like that…

However, the dialogue in NGE about 'becoming one… being of one mind & body…' DOES lend itself to being interpreted along the lines of what happens in John Carpenter's 'The Thing'.  That's the storyline where a shape changing Alien 'takes over' people's bodies, by merging with them at a genetic level…  Literally, becoming of 'one mind & body'… (Note!  It's set in Antarctica too!)

Hey!  It's ONE way that Shakey might grow a backbone…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Absolution#2.

"We will protect you…" the other Clones in the ward chorused.

After that, Shakey was able to roam the streets of the City in complete safety.

Except…

Shakey hadn't taken into consideration, just HOW much all the Clones liked him.

The encounter where #12 had saved Shakey's life, had also been a 'Kodak Moment' for the Clones, as they absorbed #12's personal impressions of the event.  And as for the 'concern' Shakey had shown for #12 in Hospital…  Well now, that had been the 'icing on the cake' to the care-starved Clones.

So it was, that Shakey Atari became a marked man.  Every time the slightest hint of danger to him arose, he could count on one or more of the Clones coming to his rescue…

Not that this was always such a good thing…

Shakey was walking along outside the Clone Zone, when a block away, the tyre on a truck blew out, causing it to skid erratically.

Seeing a chance for another 'Kodak Moment' with Shakey like the one #12 had, the nearby Clones all leapt valiantly to Shakey's defence.  Heroically, they jumped in to save Shakey from any possible danger the truck might provide, creating a living Human shield with their nubile young bodies…

…Every last one of them…

From beneath the tangled heap of Rave Clones (& in a blatant case of poetic license), one of Shakey's arms protruded, the hand twitching slightly…

Later in Hospital…

"GOOD LORD!" choked the Trauma Ward Doctor as he surveyed the results of his latest patient's x-rays…

"Dislocated joints, fractured vertebra…" the doctor rambled off a LONG list of injuries, finishing with the comment, "…did he get hit by a truck?"

The embarrassed Clones in the Waiting Room didn't answer.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - New Friends & Otherwise.

Before Shakey could answer, the pack of thugs put the boot into him, kicking him in the guts, face, the back of the head, his arms, legs, back, crotch…

Then things got brutal…

"You B-----Ds!" screamed the Clones, on seeing Shakey get kicked in the crotch, "We haven't even had a chance to use it yet, & you've broken it!"

Then the Clones moved into action, & things **REALLY** got brutal…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Interrogation - Assailants.

The orderly led Glando to a bed on which a person lay in full body traction.

Glando bent over the injured person, & spoke quietly, "I want some information…  about what happened to you, & your friends.  Give me what I want, & you will continue to receive Medical attention.  Give me problems, & your genitals will be ripped off & rammed down your throat.  Now, do we have a deal?"

"Ah?  Sir?" said the medical orderly, "The Clones already did that…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Interrogation - Clones.

Glando paused, then turned to the door & knocked three times on it.

After a full minute had passed, & the door hadn't opened, it occurred to Glando that due to the thickness of the armoured door, the troops on the other side might not have heard him…

"Open this," Glando ordered the two Rave Clones in the room with him.

Both Clones ran at the door & delivered flying kicks in perfect synch, ripping the door off its hinges.

The tense guards outside the room knew the dangers of the situation they were in, & were quite understandably on edge.

So, when the door suddenly flew outwards, & flattened a good dozen of the guards, the remainder quite naturally thought that the prisoners were trying to escape.

So it was, that the 'trigger-happy' guards fired on the first person to walk through the doorway.

Namely, Glando…

The Fan Fiction Writer would just like to point out, that he has never heard of a 'Glando' skin being available for the shoot-em-up video game 'Quake'…

Although, he could understand if some people might want one…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Black & Blue.

The Clones began an orderly dispersal, filling the elevators that would take them to the Loading Dock below.

Glando went with them, personally overseeing the Clones' performance.  He stood silently on the Loading Dock, watching as the horde of Clones swarmed into the waiting transports.

Suddenly an Evil Grin appeared on Glando's face.  He rubbed his hands together, cackling maniacally, "Fly my little monkeys…  FLY!"

The Commander's medication must be working the Clones' Group Mind concluded, Usually when he quotes from 'Wizard of Oz', he dresses up as Dorothy…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Review.

"When I authorised this operation," Glando replied quietly, "I did not order a wholesale extermination…  I did however, recommend that the Clones use lethal force against anyone using any sort of weapons against them…"

"Then explain that!…" demanded Fu2ok, as another monitor showed a Rave Clone strangling a Gang member with his own 'flag of truce'.

"Ask Rave…" Glando said nonchalantly, as his eyes looked behind Fu2ok.

Fu2ok swallowed hard & slowly turned to face the Rave Clone that had appeared soundlessly behind him.

"Rave," Glando murmured, "The Professor would like an explanation…"

"Yes Sir," Rave quietly answered, "As per the Commander's orders, we were authorised to use lethal force against any person using any sort of weapon against us.  Since we were able to use the item in question as a weapon, then so could another…"

The Clone leaned slightly forward & pointed to one of the monitors.  On it, a single Rave Clone was beating a group of overly muscled thugs to death with the limbs she'd just ripped off one of them.

Fu2ok swallowed hard again, a queasy look on his face.

"As you can see Sir," the Clone continued, "Body parts really can be used as lethal weapons…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Revelations.

"…or what, I guess…" Shakey smiled, happy to indulge in a Macho Bull Session with his friend, "…it's good to see you again, Toe-jam!"

Toe-jam leaned near to Shakey & whispered conspiratorially, "Hey man, how 'far' have you gotten with Imanonymous since I've been away?"

"…ah…" Shakey sweat-dropped in sudden nervous discomfort, mainly because the disguised Rave Clone Chairoko#5 had suddenly started paying close attention to the conversation, "…we're… friends…  just… good friends…"

"Oh man," groaned Toe-jam, "You should ask her out or something…  I tell ya, that chick REALLY has a thing for you…"

From out of the other corner of his eye, Shakey noticed that the disguised Rave Clone Kuroko#6 ALSO seemed to be paying close attention to the conversation…

Toe-jam continued, oblivious to the presence of the two 'girls' nearby, "As far as you're concerned, Atari, she's just a seething bag of lust!  Why, when I was a pilot, she actually came looking for you, and she said……"

Toe-jam rambled on, exaggerating in the same vein of Teenage Macho B--LS--T.  He was blissfully unaware of the painful demise lurking within arms reach, as the faces of the two disguised Rave Clones turned a dangerous shade of red…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Welcome Back#1.

At Mazurka's apartment, Shakey saw a Moving Company truck in the parking lot.

'Someone's probably leaving while they still can…' Shakey thought.

The Fan Fiction Writer decided to dispel one of the mysteries of the TV show, namely, whether or not anyone else actually LIVED in Mazurka's apartment block.

The simple truth is…  NO…  Mazurka was the sole tenant…

While ALL of the apartments in Mazurka's Apartment Block were owned, they were all vacant.  The reason for this, was that no one in their right mind would want to live in a City frequently destroyed by Alien attack.

Owning property there was another matter, as it was a great tax write off when your building got demolished…

Which is why 'property speculation' in the City was rampant.

Which leads us to question just how hard it was, for Glando to actually persuade the current owner to sell the apartment in question…

In a modern skyscraper office block, Glando was arguing for the sale of the apartment he wanted for the disguised Rave Clones.

"Option one as I see it," Glando said in calm & agreeable tones, "Is that I purchase your property for one & a half times its current real estate value…"

Glando paused, before saying in apologetic tones, "Now, I realise that selling at this time, might not be financially agreeable to you, which leads us to option two…"

(Camera pans back, to reveal that two of Glando's Security Guards are holding a man upside-down by his ankles, out an opened window twenty stories up…)

"Option two," Glando said in tones of polite regret, "Is where I purchase your property from the Executor of your Will…  Now… I don't want you to feel at all… pressured…  Take your time, & make an… informed choice…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Welcome Back#2

Mazurka opened the door to her apartment, & all four trooped inside.

"Welcome home, Shakey," Mazurka said warmly, "I have paperwork to do at the office, so if you need anything, the girls here can get it for you."

"…ah," gasped Shakey, "What do you mean?  I thought they were only going to be my body guards until we got home?"

"That's right," Mazurka confirmed with a smile, "However, until you're fit enough to go to school again, they'll be our live-in maids…"

Which is how the Spin-off Series, 'Clones in the Kitchen' came into being…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Back To School.

Shakey went to take his own seat, only to stop in surprise as he noticed that it was heaped high with bouquets of long stemmed red roses.

If truth be told, there were 137 blooms in all, one from each girl who had wanted to 'send him a message'.

'It must be a mistake,' Shakey looked around the classroom, wondering who could have put them there, 'Unless, someone is playing a joke on me?'

Unfortunately, the rest of the class didn't give Shakey much time to find out…

"WooHoo!" someone heckled, & then it was on for one & all…

"Shakey!  You Stud!"

"When's the wedding, Casanova?"

"You GETTING some, or what?"

It was all too much for the emotionally insecure young man.  Feeling terribly self-conscious, Shakey began to sniffle, & then to cry.  Seeing his sad plight, the Disguised Clones took pity on him, & dragged him off to the School Nurse, so he could have a nice cup of tea, & a good lie down until he composed himself.

'Rave' however, decided to 'have words' with the rowdy element in the class, who had so upset her favourite wuss.  She made sure Shakey was out of earshot, before turning her attentions on the unromantic miscreants in her class…

Those responsible for Shakey's upset, fell silent as they suddenly noticed Rave's narrow eyed scowl, & the way her trembling hands slowly clenched into white knuckled 'fists of fury'…

They didn't notice much after that…

Well, not until they regained consciousness, at any rate…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	12. 11 Escalation

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Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 11 "Escalation"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

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Copyright Info & Disclaimer.

"Altered Lives (THE PARODY)" is Copyright (c) 2002 by DBM.  This story is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This story was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies & Satire.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2002 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2002 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

If you like the story, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font & font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

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Censorship Info & Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results & side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, & frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts & opinions on the morals & ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

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Fandom Alerts & Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga & Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech

denotes other method of communication.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Initial Concept.

Glando Atari stood in an observation bunker, his attention focussed on an overhead monitor.  Or rather, the image of a body-cast clad Rave Clone lying on a high-tech Hospital gurney.

"Still nothing, Sir," a nearby technician stated, "All sensors read normal…"

Glando frowned, then held a microphone to his lips & spoke sternly, "You must try harder…  Try to remember what you did."

The Clone shut her eyes, a look of intense concentration on her face.

After several minutes of nothing happening, Glando turned to the technician in the bunker & demanded, "Anything?"

"No Sir," the technician replied, "Everything's still normal."

Glando straightened up, a disgusted look on his face.  "Abort the current test," he ordered, "We'll try plan B…"

A short while later, the same Rave Clone was patiently watching a small monitor set up in front of her.  An image of a rotating fractal pattern appeared on the screen, the colours changing subtly as the pattern swirled into nothingness at a central point.

"Look at the centre of the screen," Glando murmured softly, "Relax… relax…"

The Clone stared at the screen, her facial muscles relaxing as her mind calmed down into a trance state.

"Trance attained Sir," the technician noted, looking at a monitor displaying the Clone's vital signs & brainwave pattern,  "She's completely under."

"Let your mind go back…" Glando breathed, "To when you walked Shakey home…"

The Clone stared at her screen, a blank expression on her face.

"You remember Shakey," Glando purred, "He's your friend…  Someone you won't allow to get hurt…"

On Glando's monitor, the Clone's mouth twitched slightly.

"Everything is nice & peaceful," Glando prompted soothingly, "You see Shakey waiting at a cross roads…  The walk signal comes on, and he starts to cross…"

In the test chamber, the Clone was breathing slow & evenly.

"Suddenly you hear squealing brakes," Glando said in urgent tones, "You look around & see a truck headed for Shakey.  You can't get to him in time!  He's going to be killed!  SAVE HIM!"

"Shakey!" the hypnotised Clone shouted, "NO!"

A sudden static flashed through the monitors, many of them going off-line as the lights flickered.

"Field Spike!" the technician shouted, "It's…  Huh?" he blinked in astonishment, checking what monitors still functioned, "Sorry Sir…  It's gone…"

"Don't worry about it," Glando spared a glance at the dazed Clone in the chamber.  He picked up a two-way radio & spoke quietly, "Did you get it?"

"Yes Sir," came the voice of a Rave Clone, "We sensed what she did…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Sales Pitch.

Glando Atari sat at his desk, contemplating his latest visitor…

Before his desk stood a blue-Haired Rave Clone, a disturbed look on her face.

"But Sir?" the puzzled Clone asked, "How is it possible?  How could any of us produce an E.T. Field without an AVE?"

"Because," Glando spoke slowly & carefully, "The E.T. Fields produced by the AVE's, are only 'processed' versions of what is produced normally by any living creature."

The Clone tilted her head slightly, as if puzzled by Glando's comment.

"ALL living things," Glando stressed, "Produce an electromagnetic field, as part of their natural biochemistry.  The chemical reactions in body cells, use both positively & negatively charged compounds, to produce the event we call life…"

Glando paused to let that sink in, "Some creatures… such as the 'electric eel', can generate an electrical potential in their bodies, & use it for defence.  Other creatures, such as the Australian Platypus, could actually detect the electrical 'signature' of various animals it used for food…"

"And then…" Glando hesitated, "There are the reasons WHY people are chosen to pilot AVE in the first place.  They must have… certain rare traits… that… better allow them to interface with the AVE…"

The Clone remained silent, absorbing Glando's argument…

"The most important aspect of piloting an AVE," Glando continued smoothly, "Is that the Pilot must be able to synchronise with the AVE…  Literally, becoming a part of the AVE's artificial nervous system…  Because synchronisation is a two-way channel, the Pilot feels what the AVE feels…  This enables the Pilot to make the AVE move, perform complex procedures, & even… expand its artificially magnified E.T. Field…  Something a normal person would never know how to do…  "

The Clone nodded slightly, accepting Glando's recital of what she knew as fact.

"Now," Glando added, "We had theorised for some time, that a Pilot might become so… accustomed… to how an AVE creates its E.T. Field, that the Pilot might begin to 'mimic' the procedure with their own body."

"I see…" the Clone said, "And you believe that is what happened to #12?"

"Perhaps," Glando stated, "As yet, it is still a theory, but one that appears to be supported by actual events.  However…  There is ANOTHER theory that may fit the circumstances…"

"Since time immemorial, there have been stories of normal humans who have exhibited extraordinary… abilities…  Abilities so far removed from what the average person could do, that they were referred to… as magic…  These abilities were mostly ascribed to practitioners of various Martial Arts & other esoteric disciplines, who practiced their art over decades…  Many of these abilities, were supposedly passed down from one generation to the next."

"Such things were the stuff of Myth & Legend," Glando said dismissively, "And are mostly referred to only in works of fiction…  But…  It could be… that these stories were based on real life observations of extremely rare abilities…"

Glando looked intensely at the Clone, "We already know that AVE pilots have rare talents…  What we do NOT know, is whether or not your talents are a modern indication, of these ancient abilities having actually existed…"

"I intend to find out, one way or another…" Glando insisted, "Whichever theory is correct, we cannot allow such an opportunity to pass us by…"

"Understood Sir," the Clone confirmed.

"I have arranged for special training," Glando advised, "That may help you develop, & control such abilities…  If they exist…"

"Yes Sir."

"The training starts today," Glando ordered, "Security will advise you of the relevant schedules.  Such training is Highly Classified, & is definitely on a 'need to know' basis…  As are any… abilities… you may discover in due course…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Getting Technical.

In a lecture theatre somewhere in the NERVIS Base, Rave Clones paid attention to the ramblings of an elderly physicist with a 'Mad Scientist Afro' haircut.

"Energy Fields are not flat, or planar," the Lecturer insisted, "They are ALL curved…"

High above the lecture theatre was a small film projection room.  Inside it watching the lecture, was Glando Atari & his advisor, Fu2ok.

"Well, Professor," Glando asked, "Can you understand all of what he's saying?"

"Quite," Fu2ok had a smug smile on his face.

Glando turned away, "Than you can monitor it.  I'm needed elsewhere."

Fu2ok made no comment, the faint click of the closing door having announced that Glando had already left.

In the room below, the elderly physicist was fielding questions.

"Even E.T. Fields?" One Clone asked, getting straight to the point.

"Especially E.T. Fields!" the physicist answered eagerly, "All E.T. Fields observed to date, can be shown to be curved.  That they may APPEAR to be flat or planar, was merely a perception caused by inadequate observation!  If we were to extend the Fields indefinitely, their curvature would become apparent!"

"Is their curvature uniform?" another Clone asked.

"Uniform curvature is not impossible, but due to the way space-time is affected by gravity… any Field LARGE enough to be observed, WILL be affected by local gravity fluctuations, especially if it's inside the gravity well of a planet…  Now the actual amount may be almost negligible, but it WILL be there…"

"How does this tie-in with those Aliens we have already fought?"

"AH!" the elderly physicist smiled knowingly, "Let's look at the first Alien fought in this city…  It survived conventional artillery, due to an internalised E.T. Field, one that followed the contours of its body…  This was because the Field generating apparatus, was part of its 'nervous system'…"

The elderly physicist consulted a pile of notes on his table before continuing, "Later, it survived a point blank Nuclear explosion, with only 'surface' damage…  I would attribute this, to the E.T. Field not being entirely opaque to the quantum level energies released by the explosion…"

"Later still, it exhibited the Field as what appeared to be a flat, or planar surface…  That one was ripped apart by Unit Won, when it used its own Field to neutralise, or weaken the other one…  The fact that Unit Won appeared to TEAR the other Field with its hands, is proof of the way in which the Field was generated by the nervous system…  Especially how it was warped & buckled by the concentrated Anti-Field, generated by the extra nerves of Unit Won's hands…"

The Physicist paused, "A point I MUST make!  When Unit Too fought the Intruder that penetrated to the Operations Centre of this base, the Field of Unit Too was not able to counteract the Field of the intruder.  Any one care to venture why?"

All of the Clones raised their hands.

The physicist smiled as he pointed to a Clone in the first row, "You!"

"Neutralisation was insufficient, due to a different Field wavelength being used by the intruder, compared to earlier incursions."

"Correct!" beamed the physicist, "Correct Anti-Field use of a Field, requires knowing what the frequency of the Field to be neutralised is…  Sometimes, 'near enough is good enough', as the opposing Field WILL partly affect the other Field, even if the frequencies are not exact!  BUT!  If the frequencies are TOO far off, you won't be able to do a thing!"

"Another thing I MUST point out…  Is that when Unit Won TORE the other Field, it was 'up close & personal'.  Meaning that the Anti-Field generated & channelled by Unit Won's hands, was at its strongest, regardless of frequencies used…"

"Why is it so?" the physicist asked, a gleam in his eye as he warmed to the topic under discussion, "Well now, it all depends on the 'distance effect'…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Visual Aids.

Glando Atari stood in a hallway, staring intently through an observation port.

In the room beyond, a group of Rave Clones sat on mats in a cross-legged 'lotus' position.  Dressed in Martial Arts Outfits, they breathed slowly in a universal rhythm, their eyes shut as they practiced an esoteric form of Meditation.

Their instructor, a wizened old man of uncertain Asian origin, sat in front of them, his voice sighing gently throughout the room…

"…feel the centre within you… the place of all balance, all power… the place where Chi flows… into you… through you… from you… the place where you are one…"

From his vantage point, Glando smiled at the old man's comment.

"…remember this place," the old man quietly ordered, "…remember where it is… remember how to find it… learn how to move with it… do not overstretch yourself… move from your centre… return to your centre… find the harmony… it is in you…"

A bass chime sounded, it repeated after the reverberations from the first note had died away.

"…and that is all for today…" the instructor announced, "…remember what I have taught you… practice as much as you can… until you truly know your inner self…"

"Hai, Sensei!" the Clones breathed as one.  (NOTE Hai = yes, Sensei = Teacher)

Glando waited until the old man had left, before walking to the front of the room, & addressing the Clones.

"I have some Visual aids for you," Glando paused before continuing with a slight smirk, "Training films if you will…"

Glando took a remote control from his pocket, idly pressing a sequence of buttons as he walked to the back of the room.  The lights in the room instantly dimmed, the room's sound system coming online as a TFT image projector started beaming images onto the blank wall in front of the Clones.

At the back of the room, Glando paused to watch as selected sequences from the Anime movie 'Akira' began playing…

- - - - - - - - - -

In another lecture room, a twenties-something female instructor was giving the Clones a thorough grounding in how to construct 3D models.

"A 'morph'," said the instructor, "Is where selected points are given a set of predictable variations from their original position.  A 'morphed' point, will always move a preset distance in 3D space, based off the original orientation of that point, at the time the morph was activated.  For example…"

The instructor referred the class to a large image projected on the wall.  Created by the 3D program 'Poser', it showed two simple 3D cones, one sitting on its base, while the other was tilted at a random angle.

The instructor keyed some data into her desktop keyboard, & both cones turned into hemi-spheres.

"As you can see," the instructor stressed, "Both Cones are now Hemi-spheres.  But!  They are still aligned with the x, y, z, axes of the original cones.  The computer took the original orientation of the models into consideration, when it plotted the new positions for the points…"

The instructor took a drink before continuing her lecture, "So, if you have a 'morph' loaded into a model, it should always be orientated to the model's internally orientated x, y, z, axes, & NOT to the model's EXTERNAL, or universally orientated, X, Y, Z, coordinates & rotation data.  That is, the EXTERNAL orientation data determines WHERE in space the model originates from, & how its axes are aligned to the Universal Reference point of X=0, Y=0, Z=0.  The INTERNAL data, decides the actual shape of the model…"

The Clones paid rapt attention as the instructor then proceeded to show them a series of 'morphs' using the cone models.  She first turned the cones into a series of basic shapes such as cylinders, disks, & spheres, before showing how combinations of 'morphs' could create some truly bizarre curved shapes.

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Practice Makes Perfect.

Glando Atari stood at an observation window.

"Any luck?" Fu2ok said, interrupting Glando's silent vigil.

Glando pointed at the window & murmured one word, "Observe…"

Fu2ok squinted slightly as he turned his attention to what lay beyond.

In a large hanger-like room below the observation window, a dozen concrete blocks stood Stonehenge-like in a 20-foot wide broken circle.  The ten foot high monoliths towered up from four foot thick bases, dwarfing the single Clone who stood in their midst.

The Clone stood quietly with eyes closed, her hands held before her as she crouched slightly in a basic Martial Arts defence pose.

Suddenly the Clone screamed & whirled in a full circle, the blur of her outstretched limbs seeming to stretch much further than they should.

All around the circle, concrete blocks suddenly shattered & blew apart, pieces & sparks scattering across the floor randomly.  The Clone seemed oblivious to the destruction, returning to the same Martial Arts pose for a moment before relaxing into a more restful stance.

Fu2ok stared, wide eyed with disbelief, "W-was that?"

"Applied use of a custom conformed E.T. Field," Glando informed wryly, "Just a little something they've learned…"

"…little…?" Fu2ok gasped in shock, "I… expected a E.T. Field… but this…"

"Is the current state of the 'intermediate' level," Glando said quietly, a smug smile on his face, "This morning it was the 'advanced' level, but now…"

"Intermediate?" Fu2ok exclaimed, "They've progressed beyond this?  What to?"

"Now, now Professor…" Glando said apologetically, "It wouldn't be nice of me to spoil the surprise, now would it…"

Fu2ok gulped nervously, "How did you DO this Atari?  It was only a few days ago that 12 created a Field…"

"She has created others since then," Glando replied, moving away from the window, "And the event was observed by the Clones."

Enlightenment dawned on Fu2ok, "You used their rapid learning ability?"

"Correct," confirmed Glando, "What better way to learn, than by their own… personal experiences?"

Fu2ok shook his head, "But that doesn't explain what I just saw!  How did you teach them how to do… that?"

"Creative Visualisation," Glando stopped by another window, "I provided the Clones with material that helped them accept that not only could they create energy Fields, but also what they could do WITH them…"

Fu2ok looked through the window, & his eyes widened in shock as he saw what was in the other room.

Ranks of Clones sat in a lecture theatre, watching Japanese Anime.

"Dragonball 'Z'?" Fu2ok was nearly speechless, "Is THIS what you call 'creative visualisation'?"

"Anime covers a wide range of topics, & genres…" Glando murmured, "This particular show refers to an ancient Martial Arts technique.  That of using 'Chi', or the life force found in all things…"

"…you used…" Fu2ok stared incredulously at Glando, "…children's entertainment…?"

"I think of it…" Glando paused, "…as a child's primer on the subject…"

"…what… else… did you use…?" Fu2ok croaked, struggling to reconcile the work done by NERVIS, with the 'training material' Glando was giving the Clones.

"Ranma 1/2, Akira…" Glando rattled off a LONG list of Anime that dealt with Psionics & Martial Arts, as well as several movies, "…The Matrix, Star Wars…"

Glando smiled, "And if anyone asks, they're only learning popular culture…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Changing Course.

A young red-haired girl exercised in a Hospital gymnasium, trying to get her strength back.

"…two, three, hold!"  Regina Wimble-Spoone called out, prompting Aesir to hold the aerobics pose before repeating the pattern at Regina's command.

"You're doing very well," Regina reassured Aesir, "Now we'll try some weight lifting to build some of that muscle back…"

Aesir sighed in exhaustion, & reluctantly went over to the exercise bench.

"Don't worry," Regina advised Aesir, "We'll start off with 10 kilo weights…"

Slowly, Aesir began to lift the weights.

"Schiesse!" Aesir hissed through clenched teeth, "I should be able to do this easily!  Just how much muscle have I lost anyway?"

The answer to that question, lay in a classified doctor's report…

Aesir's years of training to be an AVE Pilot, had produced a lean, mean, human fighting machine, with nearly NO excess body fat.  When Aesir had run away, she had been unable to eat food on a regular basis.  What she HAD been able to get, was, often as not, something from a dumpster…

The dumpster food literally passed 'straight through' Aesir, due to the way the microbes in it affected Aesir's digestive tract.  The effects of the diarrhoea was made worse, by the lack of body fat reserves Aesir could metabolise to fuel her nutrition starved body.

Considering the circumstances, it was only natural that Aesir's body would begin the process known as 'auto-cannibalism'.  A safety feature whereby a starving body extends its own life, by consuming its own muscle & organ tissue.

Aesir had lost over a dozen kilos, body mass she COULDN'T afford to lose.  Her 'feminine figure' changed as muscle wasted away, & the deposits of fatty tissue in her hips & bust line were reduced as her body tried to stay alive.

…An unexpected 'weight loss' Aesir found out about when she put her aerobics bra on, only to find the normally close fitting garment was somewhat 'loose'…

Aesir gritted her teeth & forced her recovering muscles to repeat the set of weight exercises she had just completed.  When her arms came down after the latest set, she lay gasping from the exertion, like a fish out of water.

'It's no use,' Aesir thought to herself, tears starting to well up in her eyes, 'I just can't do this anymore…  I'm finished…'

"Huh," a nearby male voice growled in disgusted tones, "Shoulda known…"

Aesir opened her eyes & looked around, fearing the worst.

On a bench not far away from Aesir was Toe-jam Snoozehard, onetime AVE Pilot.  He was 'Pumping Iron', 50 kilos at a time with his one arm.

"Was haben sie jetzt gesagt?" Aesir asked in German, glaring at her nemesis. (NOTE! German for What have you just said?)

"Aesir, you WUSS!" Toe-jam sneered scornfully, "You 'Pump Iron' like a GIRL!  Put some 'woost' in it, ya WOMAN!" (NOTE! woost = wurst, a type of spicy sausage popular in Europe…)

Aesir's reply was untranslatable, not just because it used 'Euro-Slang', but because the overly polite Japanese didn't have equivalents to the terms used…

"You think you're so tough?" Toe-jam jeered, "Why don't ya prove it?"

"Because I'm SICK, you Idiot!" Aesir nearly yelled back at Toe-jam.

"Ya got that right," Toe-jam mumbled under his breath.

"Which part, Monkey Boy?" Aesir spat back.

"Good thing Shakey can still pilot," Toe-jam shot back, "Cause there's no way a weakling like you ever could!"

"Leave him out of this!" Aesir snapped, her emotions getting unsettled at the mention of her fellow pilot.

"Why?" Toe-jam persisted, "Afraid to be compared to the only REAL Pilot left?"

Aesir's brilliantly acidic retort was silenced as something occurred to her.

'Shakey can still pilot…' Aesir realised, 'I can't…  My AVE won't accept me…  But…  What about Rave?  Are they putting her in **MY** AVE?'

"Who's using Unit Too?" Aesir asked with a sinking feeling.

"Who's using Unit Too?" Toe-jam repeated in surprise, "H--L, no one is…  We only got the one usable AVE, & Unit Too ain't it…"

"What's wrong with Unit Too?" Aesir demanded, suddenly worried about her AVE.

"Huh," Toe-jam grunted, "Ya musta broke it, 'cause no one else can Pilot it…"

The small sense of relief that washed over Aesir, was quickly dispelled as a heart-stopping realisation arose.

'Unit Won is the only useable AVE…' Aesir thought, 'That means…  We've only got one AVE to fight with…'

Aesir swallowed nervously as she remembered her second battle with Shakey's help, the one against an Alien that took two AVE's acting in synch to defeat.

'If he'd been alone…'

Other memories assailed her mind, of times when all three AVE's were needed to defeat the Alien Intruders.

…And of times when a single AVE had been of no use at all…

Aesir trembled as she remembered what COULD happen, should the AVE's fail to win even ONE of their desperate Battles…

'If he has to fight alone,' Aesir realised, 'He'll… he might…'

"…no…" Aesir choked on the word, contemplating dire possibilities that were now all the more probable, "…he…"

"What you mumbling 'bout?" Toe-jam wheezed, as he rested his aching arm.

"…I need to see Mazurka," Aesir hauled herself up off the bench.

…A little too fast, as her blood pressure fluctuated with the sudden change…

"Take it easy," Toe-jam grudgingly offered, "Ya get up too fast after exercise, & you'll probably fall over…  Anyway, there's no rush…  Mazurka's over there…"

Toe-jam swung his weight-laden arm to indicate a worried looking Mazurka, who was currently talking to Aesir's Trainer.

Aesir stumbled over towards Mazurka.

"Mazurka," Aesir said in her usual forthright manner, "How soon before I can take another synch test?"

"…ah…" Mazurka flustered, "…well, you really need to get your health back…"

"Don't give me that!" Aesir demanded, "Dr Akatlover once pointed out that physiological changes won't stop someone from piloting…  How soon can you get me in a test unit?"

"Why the sudden rush?" Mazurka asked, trying to find a reason not to admit that the test units were completely taken up with Rave Clones nowadays.

"You've only got one usable AVE…" Aesir said darkly, "Isn't that right?"

"What if it is?" Mazurka retorted, "You still can't pi…"

"Don't tell me I can't pilot," Aesir snapped, her voice rising, "Unless you've got the results of a test that proves it!  And even if you have, I'll take the D--N test again & again if I have to, until I pass it…"

Mazurka noticed how the young girl was trembling.  "Aesir," Mazurka said softly, looking intently at the red head, "Do you really want to take the test?"

"Yes…"

"Why?"

Aesir drew herself up to her full height, & LOOKED Mazurka in the eye, "Because…  I'm an AVE Pilot…  And you've got an empty AVE with my name on it…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Confirmation?

Aesir walked into the Pilot's changing room, & went straight to her locker.

"Haven't seen you in a while…" Aesir muttered, looking at her name on the door of an enamel coated steel locker.

Aesir opened the locker, & stared at the memories within the metal box.  She sighed, then went about the process of changing into her Snug Suit.  A look of concern ran over her face, as she pressed the 'seal' button on her left wrist, & the suit shrank to fit her frame…

She held her breath as it conformed to her body, as snugly as she remembered…

"Still fits like a glove," Aesir sighed in relief.

…Then she saw her reflection in a full-length mirror…

Aesir swallowed heavily, as she realised the sharply defined ridges on her sides were not her 'Ab' muscles, but her ribs…

"…at… at least it doesn't make me look fat…" Aesir joked, more to ridicule the moment & help her avoid dwelling on the sight, than to make herself laugh.

"Are you ready?"

The soft voice made Aesir jump with sudden alarm.  She spun around, finally noticing that she wasn't alone in the changing room.

Standing nearby, dressed in her usual white Snug Suit, was Rave Imanonymous.

"DON'T DO THAT!" snapped Aesir.

"What?" Rave asked calmly.

"Sneak up on people!" Aesir stormed, "You should have said something to let me know you were there!"

Rave blinked, then walked off in the direction of the test units.

"HEY!" Aesir yelled, "Wait for me, Wonder Chick!"

Moments after Aesir ran off after Rave, another Rave Clone came out from behind the rows of lockers.

She has lost weight the Clone sent.

Yes agreed the one with Aesir, Her breakdown has resulted in muscle wasting

Did it result in her losing her ability to detect others near her? sent the Clone in the changing room, She did not notice either of us?

Should she heal more, before taking this test? sent a Clone who had just come out of the test units If her perceptive skills are any indication…?

Perhaps the Pilot tests will be used to document her recovery rate? sent Rave#3, from her place in one of the test units.

Did she want to be alone? sent the Clone with Aesir, She walks with me, but does not speak to me.  Even with me beside her…  She walks as if alone…

Shakey had difficulties accepting our existence sent the Clone currently impersonating 'Kuroko' in School, Aesir may also be having difficulties.  Perhaps we should not let her see any more of us, in case it causes her problems?

Has Aesir even been informed about our existence? sent one of the tested Clones, I do not remember anyone saying she had been…

I believe Aesir thought I was the Second sent Clone#13 from the Clone Zone, She referred to me as 'the indestructible doll' when I saw her in Hospital

It could be, that she does not know sent one of the Clones that had just left the test units, We will hide ourselves from her view, to avoid disturbing her

The Clones coming back from the test units, turned off the main corridor & stood out of sight in a side room.  They waited patiently until Aesir & the Clone she was with had walked past them & entered an elevator.

Aesir meanwhile, was lost in her own thoughts.  So she was unaware of the enquiring way that the Clone beside her looked at her every now & then.

'Where are you Cagey?' Aesir thought longingly, 'Why haven't you gotten in touch with me?  Even if you can't be here, you could at least phone…'

Aesir's face fell, as an unpleasant thought occurred to her, '…or have you given up on me too?  Is that why you haven't phoned, or sent a card or flowers to me?'

'At least Shakey gave me flowers,' Aesir thought forlornly, 'Red roses too…'

'Red Roses…' Aesir shook her head in whimsical disbelief, 'How a Man tells a Maiden 'I love you'…  Why couldn't Cagey have given them to me?  Instead of some boring little boy who wouldn't even know the meaning of the word Love…  Let alone how to treat a girl like a Lady…'

'No…' Aesir slumped slightly, 'Shakey was only being nice to an invalid… there's no other reason he'd give me red roses…'

'Unless…' Aesir frowned as a suspicion ran through her mind, 'He's starting to 'grow up' & he thinks I'll fall for his 'charm'…  Huh!  If he thinks he's Man enough for me, he needs to think again…  Cagey's the only Man in MY heart…'

"You must not close your heart," Rave quietly advised, thinking Aesir's sour expression was caused by the stress of her upcoming Pilot test, "If your heart is closed, you will not succeed…"

"W-what?" Aesir gasped, spooked by Rave's sudden comment, "What would you know?"

"It worked for me," Rave replied, remembering how she had learned to control AVE Unit Null, "Do not ignore the fact, that you are not the only one who feels…  Emotional acceptance… is as important as physical contact…"

'Is that why I couldn't pilot?' Aesir wondered, a shiver going through her, 'My AVE deserted me?  Because I couldn't make other people accept me?'

"Are you cold?" Rave enquired, noticing Aesir's shiver.

"No…" a subdued Aesir replied, before she suddenly snapped back, "Why am I taking advice from you?  You wouldn't even know the first thing about boys…"

"True," Rave admitted, taking the apparent change in topic in her stride, "Which is why I have been asking Mazurka."

"WHAT?" Aesir exclaimed in shock, "You're asking Mazurka about BOYS?"

"No," Rave corrected, "Not about boys.  Just 'a' boy."

"I don't believe it…" Aesir moaned as she slumped against the wall, "The Ice Maiden is interested in a boy?  Who on earth was Man enough to thaw your ice box?"

"Shakey," the Clone replied, not quite understanding the comment, but feeling relatively sure of the correct answer.

"**WHAT!**" Aesir screamed, the shock of Rave's statement forcing her mind into 'reset' mode, "What've you & that pervert been doing while I've been away?"

"He is not a pervert," Rave advised, acting quickly to stop Aesir from jumping to conclusions & possibly starting more rumours, "And he has been my friend…"

"F-friend?" Aesir gasped, all her recent assumptions about Shakey draining away, "Y-you mean…  H-he's your… b-boyfriend…?"

"No," the Clone corrected, "He is my best friend.  And he is your friend as well…"

Aesir stood in the elevator, stunned beyond speech, her mind whirling as she tried to sort everything out.  '…her… 'best friend'?  …he's… my friend?'

"What makes you think he's any friend of mine?" Aesir retorted automatically, as some part of her mind kept running on her usual personality.

"He cares more for another, than he does for himself," Rave replied, thinking of how Shakey had shown he cared for the Clones, "He shows how he cares for others, by what he does for them…  The little things…"

Rave's words were like physical blows to Aesir, as the redhead remembered all the 'little things' Shakey had done for her since she'd first met him.

Shakey politely asking after Aesir's family.  'He took an interest in my life…'

Shakey trying to say 'Guten Morgen', even though he stumbled with it.  'He tried to appreciate my native culture…'

Shakey teaching her Japanese characters.  'He tried to teach me his culture…'

Shakey giving her a blanket & pillow when she had sleep walked into the Living Room.  'He looked after me…'

Shakey's AVE rescuing hers, despite the pain it caused him.  'He saved my life…'

Shakey trying to act in synch with her, even though he couldn't keep up with her.  'He put up with me…'

'…oh god…' Aesir concluded, thinking of all Shakey had done, '…sh-she's right…  he really does care for me… he has all along…  I-I didn't even notice…  I only…'

Aesir shut her eyes as all the hard times she'd given Shakey floated in her mind's eye.  All the put downs, all the times she'd blamed him, all the slaps…

'…he never stopped liking me…' Aesir realised, '…I treated him poorly, but he was always nice back to me…  He was always there for me…'

'But…' Aesir wondered, 'IF he feels that way about me, why hasn't he said or done anything about it before?  Was he afraid to tell me?  Was he too shy?  No…  He couldn't be…  He kissed me that one time when I…'

'…one…' Aesir suddenly paled as realisation struck her, '…he's the only AVE pilot we've got…  If he doesn't win the next battle…'

'That… IDIOT!' Aesir thought savagely, 'He's done the maths!  He KNOWS he might not be coming back from the next battle…  That's why he gave me red roses!  He didn't want to leave his feelings unsaid…  In case he… he…'

Aesir swallowed hard, as tears formed in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?" asked a perplexed Rave Clone.

"…got something in my eye…" mumbled Aesir, brushing her tears away.

"Do you require medical attention?" the Clone persisted.

"I'm fine," Aesir said loudly, trying to be her usual brash self.

At the mention of the infamous understatement, the Clone tensed slightly, preparing to catch Aesir should she suddenly fall over…

"Why you looking at me like that?" Aesir asked irritably, "Never seen someone get dust in their eye before?"

The elevator doors opened before the Clone could answer, & Aesir roughly pushed past into the test facility's Control Room.

"Welcome back Aesir," Mayi called out, "You're in your usual unit."

"Thanks," Aesir said with as much cheer as she felt she could muster, "It's good to be back…  Hurry up, Rave!  I want to get his over & done with…"

Aesir went straight to her Test Unit, clambering in & closing the hatch.

"I can DO this!" Aesir breathed, taking a few moments to psych herself up in the closed twilight of the unpowered Test Unit, "I **WILL** DO THIS!"

'Rave' walked up to the Test Crew, & asked in perfect sync with the 'Rave' on their monitors, "Has Aesir has been told about us?"

"…uh…" Mayi responded, unsure of what to say.

"That's Mazurka's job," Moccona quickly declared, "She's your Guardian, so it's HER job!  Right guys?"

"Yeah!" confirmed Uhoh, not wanting to be the one to tell Aesir about 'Rave', however much he wanted to see the expression on Aesir's face when she found out…

'Rave' nodded, then went to the empty Test Unit.

As the recently occupied Test Units started to power up, Mayi suddenly blinked, & frantically flipped some switches.

"Hey?" the protest came from Aesir as her Test Unit powered up, "I don't have any external visual feeds!  I don't even have the other Test Unit!  What's up?"

"It's… all right Aesir," Mayi ad-libbed, breathing a sigh of relief,  "Today, we just want you to focus on synchronising… without any… external distractions…"

"Yeah!" Uhoh enthused, "Give it your best shot, we'll help you all we can…"

"…thanks…" Aesir was truly touched that the Test Crew would do what they could, just to help her pass her test.

"Get ready Rave!" Aesir challenged, "I'll beat your score yet!  You hear me?"

"Yes," both Clones answered simultaneously.

"Hey?" Aesir whined, "There's something wrong with the Audio…  It's echoing…"

"Cutting non-essential audio links now," Moccona covered smoothly, "Problem is noted, & will be taken into account…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Scoring Points.

Aesir sat in the metal womb of the Test Unit, straining with the effort of trying to force herself to synchronise with the neural interface.

Outside in the Control Room, Moccona Hoover analysed the data received from Aesir's Test Unit.

"Doesn't look too bad…" Moccona said hopefully, before taking a slurp of his coffee, "She's got a higher rate than her last battle at any rate…"

"Still pretty low though," Uhoh muttered.

"Give her time," Mayi insisted, "She'd only just gotten out of a Hospital bed…"

Inside the Test Unit, Aesir was trying to synchronise, although to be honest, her mind wasn't totally on the job at hand.  Her thoughts kept wandering back to recent events involving Shakey.

"…hah…" Aesir frowned, as her latest attempt to clear her mind of all thoughts & synchronise with the neural interface failed.

"Take it easy, Aesir," Moccona advised, "You're trying too hard…"

"Yeah," agreed Uhoh, "Just relax & let it happen…  Go with the flow…"

In her Test Unit, Aesir hung her head, scowled her eyes shut, & tried again.

All to no avail…

Instead of slipping into a 'trance state', the swirling mists in Aesir's mind that usually heralded the start of synchronisation, kept turning into vague images of a boy with flowers.

"Aesir?" Mayi chimed, "Stop trying for a few minutes…  Calm down & clear your mind…  Take as long as you need…  We'll leave the connection active, to monitor you…  Try again when you feel like it"

"…yeah…" Aesir reluctantly agreed, "…okay…"

Aesir stopped trying to interface with the Test Unit, & just sat in her seat.

"…gotta relax…" Aesir mumbled to herself, "…piece of cake…"

To the observers in the Control Room, it appeared that Aesir was indeed calming down.  Her heart rate lowered, & her laboured breathing started to calm.

Her mind however…

'Shakey… cares… for me…' Aesir mulled the disturbing truth over in her mind.

'…idiot…' Aesir thought fondly as she curled up & hugged her knees, '…using flowers to say what he couldn't with words alone…

'but… it's nice to know… that someone cares for me…' Aesir thought gratefully.

'…someone cares for me…' Aesir reiterated the phrase humbly, tears starting to seep from her eyes, '…Shakey cares about me…'

'…so does Mazurka…' Aesir whimpered slightly as she remembered how Mazurka had comforted her in Hospital.

'…so does the Bridge Crew…' Aesir began crying openly as she remembered their promise to help her all they could in the current test.

Out in the Control Room, the self-same Bridge Crew noticed the way Aesir's curled-up body shook, & how her face contorted.

"She's pushing herself…" Uhoh commented, watching Aesir, "Too much, too soon…"

An uneasy silence fell as the Bridge Crew watched the suffering girl.

"Sh-should we abort the test?" Mayi asked, feeling concerned for Aesir.

Despite the question already being in their minds, Moccona & Uhoh didn't reply.

Back in her Test Unit, Aesir was still coming to grips with things…

'…people… care for me…' Aesir realised, her wasted body straightening its posture slightly as her emotional burden began to lift.

'…is it because they think… I'm… worth caring for…?' Aesir asked herself, '…is that why Shakey cares for me?  Not because I'm pretty, or have a nice body…  But because he thinks **I'M** worth caring about?'

Memories of what Shakey had been in her life, ran through Aesir's mind.  All the times he'd been helpful, caring, polite or friendly to her…

'Yes…' Aesir decided, 'He does care for Me!  Not my face…  Not my body…  Not my job…  He Cares… For ME!  FOR… **ME**!'

Meanwhile, outside in the Control Room…

Moccona choked on his coffee as Aesir's readings suddenly jumped ten points.

"What the…?" exclaimed Uhoh in disbelief, his eyes never leaving the unsteady display as he called out to the others, "What are you reading on Aesir?"

"Her ratio's gone up fifteen… no… seventeen points!" Mayi squeaked in surprise.

"Gahk!" Moccona finally cleared his windpipe, "Suh-same here…"

Back in her Test Unit, Aesir's morale was definitely higher than it had been.

'I… I haven't treated Shakey… as I should have…' Aesir thought ruefully, '…but he hasn't abandoned me…  Even now, he's shown he's still there for me…'

'Well…' Aesir thought grimly, 'I can't change the past, but I CAN change the future!  From now on, I'll treat Shakey better!'

'To start with…' Aesir mused as she started planning how her 'new' self would act towards the shy young man who had shown her he loved her, 'I'll HAVE to teach him how to act properly around girls!  How to treat us like Ladies!  Heh…  With me taking care of his education, he'll soon grow up into a Real Man…'

'…If… he lives long enough… to grow up…' Aesir's mood deflated instantly, as she remembered that Shakey might not survive the next battle.

"…no…" Aesir whined, the possibility of losing the shy young man hitting her mind & emotions like a blow to the gut, "…it's not fair…"

Outside in the Control Room, Aesir's emotional roller coaster was making itself known in another fashion.

"Now she's dropped back to zero?" exclaimed Moccona, "Is this a systems glitch?"

"No way," Uhoh declared, "All systems checked out perfect this morning…"

"Pilot vital signs are within acceptable limits, but fluctuating…" Mayi rolled off automatically, "Probably due to emotional stress caused by…"

Mayi fell silent as she heard Aesir's whine of "…no… …it's not fair…"

'Poor girl…' Mayi thought, 'She's trying her best, but she just can't keep up the effort…  She SHOULD have recuperated more before trying…'

In her Test Unit, Aesir was breathing hard, feeling a rising anger at the situation she found herself in.

'It's not FAIR!' Aesir fumed, 'I've only just found a boy who likes me, FOR ME, & NOW… some ALIEN B-----D will probably take him away from me in the next battle?'

"Like H--L!" Aesir growled through gritted teeth, "What's mine is MINE…  The only way I'm losing anything is over my dead body!"

Out in the Control Room…

"Twenty Points!" Moccona crowed, grinning as Aesir's synchronisation ratio soared, "Do I hear any further bids, Ladies & Gentlemen?"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Unexpected Assistance.

In a secret NERVIS Test Facility, the hatches on three AVE Test Units opened to the whir of servomotors.

The Rave Clone that had arrived with Aesir exited her Test Unit, & made her way to the nearby TLC retrieval facility.

The other Rave Clone, Rave#3, stopped just outside the entrance to the TLC retrieval facility.  She turned to look thoughtfully at Aesir's Test Unit.

Long moments later, Aesir Skrewyou slowly crawled out of her Test Unit.

Aesir's face had an expression of weary suffering, & her trembling arms reached out to steady herself against whatever support she could find.  The fact that Aesir was wet & slippery from the TLC fluid that had filled her Test Unit, combined with her physical & mental fatigue, led to the inevitable…

Aesir's hand slipped just when she needed support the most, sending her flailing off-balance towards the floor.

The sudden action of strong arms folding protectively around Aesir, was the only thing that prevented the young redhead from landing face first on the floor.

"Are you all right, Pilot Skrewyou?" a kneeling Rave#3 asked the red-haired girl in her arms.

Aesir blinked as she realised that Rave had just saved her.

"…Yeah…" Aesir admitted in embarrassment, "I'm… fine…  Just tired is all…"

I thought so… sent the Clone in the TLC retrieval unit, as Rave#3 helped an unsteady Aesir back to her feet She needs assistance…

Then why does she not ask for it? sent a Clone in the Secure Hospital ward, while a Nurse gave her a 'bed-bath'.

Does she wish to test the limits of her current abilities? sent a Clone from a 'painfully healthy' physiotherapy session.

The better to highlight any weaknesses added another Clone, reviewing her latest activities involving an E.T. Field, Napalm, & a pipe bomb…

"…thanks…" Aesir mumbled, starting to squirm uncomfortably in Rave's embrace.

Rave#3 released Aesir, but remained close in case Aesir required saving again.

"Pilot Skrewyou," Rave#3 commented, "You are fatigued.  You should rest."

"I said I'm fine," Aesir snapped back, as she tried to regain her composure.

Perhaps she does not know how to ask? sent the Clone who was impersonating 'Rave' in the real world Or perhaps she is… inexperienced… in asking?

Rave#3 watched Aesir intently, alert for any further need of intervention.

Aesir slowly hobbled over to the TLC retrieval unit, carefully picking her way so as not to embarrass herself with any more falls.  She was so focussed into her own world, that she barely noticed that one of the TLC Retrieval cubicles was already in use.  Instead, she slumped into the nearest empty cubicle, groaning as the auto-rinse came on.

Sprays of warm water rained down on Aesir, washing away the last of the TLC in her hair, & on her Snug Suit.  The combined liquids drained away through the metal floor-grill, safely bound for the reprocessing plant.

After several minutes, the water jets water stopped, replaced by gusts of warm dry air from an overhead blower that buffeted Aesir, gently drying her off.

Several minutes later still, & Aesir was clean, & relatively dry.

…And still feeling like she'd run a marathon…

Aesir leaned against the wall of her cubicle, breathing heavily.  "Why can't they have a shower seat in here?" she muttered under her breath.

"It would interfere with the rinse & dry cycle," said an unexpected voice.

Aesir jumped in alarm.  Her eyes snapped open, only to see a clean & dry Rave was watching her.

"I SAID, DON'T *DO* THAT!" Aesir snapped.

"What?" Rave asked calmly.

"Sneak up on people!" Aesir stormed, "You should have said something to let me know you were there!"

Rave blinked, then walked off in the direction of the Control Room.

Aesir walked slowly out of the cubicle, leaning against the wall for support.  She was surprised when an arm wrapped around & beneath her armpit, & gave her some unexpected support.

"I didn't ask for your help…" Aesir growled at Rave.

"I did not ask if you needed any," Rave replied.

Aesir blinked at the unexpected double meaning in Rave's words.

Rave continued, cutting off any comment Aesir could make "If a person wishes to be a friend with another, then they should look after the other person, as well as they look after themselves…"

"…but…" said a slightly bewildered Aesir.

"When… we first met," Rave continued, "You said, 'Let's be good friends'.  If your offer of friendship is still open, I would like to accept…"

"…I…" Aesir's voice caught in her throat.  She shut her mouth & turned her face away from Rave, the situation playing too much on her current emotional needs.

Rave waited patiently for any comment Aesir might make.

"…thank you…" Aesir eventually mumbled.

"Mondai Arimasen (No Problem)" Rave said with a small smile, "I will walk with you to the Control Room."

"Rave?" Aesir asked as she shuffled along with the help of her new friend.

"Yes?"

"You've… changed…"

Rave paused, then replied, "I am not the girl you thought you knew…"

Aesir hesitated, then continued in a low voice, ""Your last battle…  When you blew up your AVE…  It changed you somehow… didn't it?"

"Yes," Rave replied with a straight face, "More than I can say…"

"Is that why…" Aesir paused, "…you've been asking Mazurka about… boys…?"

"Among other things," Rave admitted.

"Oh?" Aesir asked her interest piqued, "Such as?"

Rave began to talk…

The two walked off towards the Control Room, the red-haired girl accepting the unrequested help of the other, & the blue-haired girl assisting her new friend.

- - - - - - - - - -

Elsewhere…  Glando Atari & his advisor Fu2ok were watching the scene between Aesir & Rave unfold on a small monitor.

"See, Professor?" Glando smugly requested the other's opinion, "Just as I predicted…"

"I see," Fu2ok reluctantly agreed, "I just hope STEELY doesn't…'

"That won't be a problem," Glando said dismissively, "IF they should somehow learn of this… situation, they can be told that it's just another part of what they wanted the Clones to learn…"

"Espionage & Infiltration?" Fu2ok asked sourly.

"Correct," Glando smirked knowingly, "Everyone knows that the most successful spies, always 'make friends' with those they spy on…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Post-Test Analysis.

The NERVIS Base was a place where surprises were common, & often fatal.  Today, a few of the minor surprises had made life more 'interesting' for the staff operating the Test Centre Command Room.

…Unknown to them, they had more to come…

"I'm all right, I tell you!" Aesir not-so-quietly insisted, "I feel fine!"

Rave turned her head to look at the girl she was helping to walk.

Aesir squirmed, her face turning red as she tried to wriggle out of the support the blue-haired girl had thoughtfully provided.

"Are you sure?" Rave quietly asked.

"Yes!" Aesir insisted, "Now Let Me GO!"

Rave nodded, & released her hold, allowing Aesir to stand on her own.

The reason for Aesir's embarrassment, was not just that a girl she had thought poorly of had helped her.  Nor was it just the fact that Aesir had needed the help of another.  No, it was the fact that Rave had continued to help Aesir, AFTER the pair had come into view of the crew in the Test Centre Command Room…

Aesir straightened herself, & tried to recover her dignity.

Moccona & Uhoh both suddenly seemed to find something of Great Interest on their computer monitors, leaving Mayi to act a buffer for the situation.

"Hmmm," Mayi coughed discretely, as she searched for the right thing to say.

"So," Aesir sighed in tones devoid of hope, "How'd I go?"

"Not bad!" Mayi replied with a genuine smile, "You fluctuated a bit, but you achieved a synch ratio of twenty-three points!"

Aesir's face lit up, "Tw-twenty three?"

"Ah-huh," Mayi nodded, "But…  You WERE fluctuating a good deal.  Too much for combat piloting…"

"Oh…" Aesir's shoulders slumped as her mood instantly deflated.

Rave tilted her head, her eyes flicking over the people present.  "You have proven that you are still a viable pilot," Rave said, her soft voice startling the others in the room, "With practice, you will regain all that you have lost."

At Rave's unexpected comment of support, some of Aesir's old fire came back to her, her head lifted & a small smirk appeared on her face, "You got THAT right, Wonder Chi-… Err… Rave… Like General MacArthur, I WILL return…"

"Aesir?" Mayi said with a stern look on her face, "I really think you should recuperate more before taking any more synch tests.  The reason for your fluctuations was no doubt due to your body being unable to handle the stress!"

Aesir's face fell, & her lips pursed as she heard what Mayi was saying.

"Now," Mayi continued as she turned to look at her computer monitor, "Your Physiotherapist, Doctor Whym-birr-Spoo-Neh?"

"Wimblespoone," Aesir muttered the correction automatically.

"Doctor Wimblespoone," Mayi repeated, "Has a multi-tiered program set up for you.  Currently you're on tier one…  I think we should leave any further testing until you've completed the third tier…"

"But," Aesir whined disconsolately, "…that'll be weeks…"

"Barely two," Mayi corrected, "If you keep to schedule…"

"…guess I'll have to…"

"Then we'll see you back here in about two weeks," Mayi said with a smile.

"You will," Aesir asserted, "Count on it."

Aesir left the room without a backward glance…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Palliative Care.

Shakey Atari squirmed in his bed, the numerous bruises on his battered body marking too many places that felt uncomfortable if he rested on them.  With a sigh, he stopped trying to get comfortable & struggled to sit up.

'If I can't lie here,' Shakey decided as he reached for the pair of crutches leaning against the wall near his bed, 'I may as well get up & do something…"

Shakey's hand brushed clumsily against the crutches, & knocked them off balance.  With a clatter, the aluminium walking aids fell to the floor.  He was bending over, reaching out to pick up the crutches when a lightly tanned hand suddenly appeared in his field of view & beat him to them.

Shakey blinked as a dark-haired girl in a Maid's outfit handed him the crutches.

"Here," said Rave Clone#6, sometimes known as Kuroko.

"Thanks," mumbled Shakey, accepting the small gift of another's help.

Kuroko watched as Shakey struggled to his feet & hobbled out of the room.  She followed, keeping near enough to intervene should Shakey need help.

Shakey made slow progress through Mazurka's apartment, noting with some surprise how clean & tidy everything was.

'They must be taking this 'Maid' thing to heart…' Shakey thought.

A rhythmic scrunching sound from the kitchen drew Shakey's attention, & he wandered over in that direction.

In the kitchen, another girl in a Maid's outfit, but with brown hair to Kuroko's black locks, was crushing Mazurka's empty beer cans for the recycling bin.

With her bare hands…

Chairoko picked up a beer can, her palms laying flat against opposite ends of the can, the fingers on either hand remaining parallel to the other hand, but rotated slightly out of alignment.  With a single motion, Chairoko twisted her palms, bringing her hands together to assume a palm-to-palm 'prayer' posture around the suddenly crushed beer can between them.

"Wow," Shakey exclaimed in admiration, smiling as Chairoko 'scrunched' can after can without any apparent effort on her part, "Even Mazurka can't do that…"

"Do what?" Chairoko asked.

"That," said Shakey, gesturing towards the recycling bag that held the crushed lumps of metal that used to be beer cans, "She usually just leaves them lie around until I take them away…"

Chairoko said nothing, but a faint expression of puzzlement was on her face as she crushed the rest of the cans into a neat, manageable pile.

Shakey hobbled over to the fridge, & opened the door, taking his time to look over the food within.  Truth be told, he wasn't exactly hungry, but his condition had made him restless & he was trying to escape the boredom.

"Are you hungry?"

Shakey jumped slightly at the voice that interrupted his thoughts.  He turned his head & noticed Chairoko standing nearby, with Kuroko a short distance away.  Both were watching Shakey intently.

"ah," Shakey mumbled, "Not really…  Just looking to see what I can cook for supper tonight…"

"We…" Chairoko started, only to look at the floor & continue in a subdued voice, "…had planned to make omelettes & stir-fried vegetables for you, but if you…"

"No, no," Shakey suddenly interrupted in embarrassment, "If you've already got something planned, then that's fine…"

Shakey shut the fridge door, & stumbled into the Living Room, & flopped down onto the sofa.  For several minutes, he idly switched through the various shows on TV.  Not finding anything to interest a teenage boy amongst the TV Soaps intended for middle-aged housewives, Shakey picked up the game console…

A few seconds later, & Shakey was taking on the bad guys in the game, using the game to relieve his boredom, & vicariously beat the LIVING C--P out of the thugs who had beaten him up.

The video game was a 'renovated' version of a game released around the turn of the Millennium.  In the years since the game first appeared, computer game technology had progressed significantly, & the game's original designers had decided to follow the lead of the Legendary 'Myst' series & release a fully 'updated' version that took advantage of all the technological advances.

The game Shakey was playing was more than capable of immersing the boy in its fully visualised 3D-world.  The original low-polygon count characters had been replaced by fluidly moving Hi-resolution ones.  Characters whose appearance was a match for any in the Classic 3D Movie 'Final Fantasy - The Spirits Within'.

However, even though game technology had advanced, it didn't mean that teenage boys like Shakey were able to use it any better…

"…aaaaggghhh…" Shakey's game character groaned as they were 'killed' yet again by a group of heavy-duty thugs.

"S--T!" Shakey swore viciously before slumping back in his seat & shutting his eyes with a grimace.  The adrenalin surge within the teenage boy complicated the emotions he felt at his vicarious loss.

"Are you all right?" Kuroko asked, alerted by Shakey's comments & the fierce expression the boy wore as he forcefully punched in a request for another game.

"I'M FINE!" Shakey snapped, a wildish look in his eyes as he turned to face Kuroko.  Realising how he'd just spoken to the girl, Shakey suddenly froze, the game console falling from his hands to the floor.

"I'm sorry," Shakey sighed, slumping forward to put his hands on his head.

Kuroko came over & picked up the game console, then sat down beside Shakey.

"Why are you so upset?" A concerned Kuroko asked as she noted the way a vein in Shakey's forehead pulsed at a rapid rate.

"It's…" Shakey whined, dragging his fingers through his hair in frustration, "I…"  He fell silent, strong emotions making him unable to speak what he felt.

The computer game blinked a message on the screen, advising that the mere push of a button would restart the game segment Shakey had just failed on.

'I do not understand?' Kuroko thought, 'It is only a Tactical Simulation…  It has not harmed him physically?'

Perhaps that is the reason sent Chairoko, who was sorting out the laundry His results with the Combat Simulator have reminded him of recent events?

Or of earlier injuries he received due to lack of proper training? observed a Clone from a hidden firing range.

The memory of a scared boy agreeing to pilot without having had any training flickered through the Group Mind of the Clones.  As did the memories of the injuries the boy had continued to receive in battle, even after training.

Mazurka said… sent a Clone from an advanced E.T. Field practice session He is afraid of hurting others by actual word or deed…  Or by LACK of same…

He was troubled by the harm done accidentally to Toe-Jam's sister sent #12 from the Hospital He was upset by what happened in the Doppelganger Lab, & by what happened to me.  Is he afraid his lack of skill will endanger others?

He seeks to improve his skills sent a Clone in a Meditation session To prevent such things happening…  He is unhappy with his lack of progress…

We helped him learn to Pilot an AVE mused the Group Mind We could help him learn hand-to-hand combat tactics…  We have no orders saying not to…

Kuroko looked at the message still blinking on the TV screen.  She looked at the game consol in her hand.  We do not know this system.  If we are to help Shakey improve his skills, we must be familiar with the aids he uses in his training…

Kuroko put a hand on Shakey's shoulder.  When the startled boy looked at her, Kuroko hefted the game console & asked, "Please, show me how to use this?"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Reading Room.

A badly bruised Shakey Atari sat on the couch in Mazurka's Living Room, teaching a Clone in a Maid's uniform how to play a computer game.  Elsewhere in the apartment, another Clone was about to receive her own unexpected lesson…

Chairoko was still puzzling over Shakey's reaction to seeing her crush empty beer cans with her bare hands.

'He was impressed by what I did…  Why?  It was only logical to compact the cans to make a smaller, more manageable bundle…  He said that not even Mazurka did that…  Does that mean that not even he does it?  Did I exceed the performance expectations he had of me?'

Chairoko paused, as memories of other Rave Clones rose up.  Memories in which the NERVIS Base Commander, Shakey's father Glando Atari had quietly congratulated Rave on her results in various tests.

'Perhaps it is…' Chairoko thought with a slight blush, 'The Commander was often pleased when we performed better than expected…'

Having done the usual 'Maid' work of tidying the apartment, cleaning the bathroom, washing the dishes, vacuuming the carpet, & getting a start on the laundry, Chairoko now faced the final task on the list of things to do…

Mazurka's bedroom…

The 'jobs board' Mazurka had in the kitchen, made no mention of who was expected to clean the rooms.  At the time, the Clones had been puzzled about such an oversight, especially since the only room actually mentioned was the Bathroom.  The Clones had decided that the 'type' of jobs mentioned on the jobs board must apply to the entire apartment…  And that meant…

'Vacuuming, laundry & tidying things up are the jobs most relevant to the contents of a bedroom, unlike bathrooms…'

And because Shakey's name appeared so often on the jobs board, the Clones quite reasonably assumed that…

'Mazurka often works long hours.  Shakey must have adequate cleaning skills since she has assigned nearly all of the cleaning duties to him…  Since he is unable to continue with his allotted duties, we will do them for him…'

Which left the little matter of how to organise the workload…

'Shakey is currently resting in his bedroom.  If we try to clean it, we will disturb his rest…  Mazurka has said, that he needs his rest…  We will attend to the other parts of the apartment that Shakey is not currently using, but is most likely to require the use of…'

So the Clones started with the Bathroom, Kitchen & Living Room…  After taking care of them, they started on the bedrooms, & immediately ran into problems…

While Aesir's bedroom had the usual 'lived-in' look any normal girl's room has, Mazurka's bedroom was messier than the rest of the apartment combined…

'Aesir's room will not take long to clean.  Mazurka's room will take significantly longer…  We will leave it until last…'

However, the Clones did take all the 'used clothes' Mazurka had left strewn around her room & washed them.  When Shakey had finally hobbled out of his bedroom, Kuroko had waited to see if he was going to return to it.  When Shakey had started playing computer games in the Living Room, Kuroko had taken the opportunity to go in & clean the room up.  A five minute job at most, including vacuuming, as Shakey was such a 'neat freak'.

With the rest of the apartment taken care of, it was time for the Clones to 'bite the bullet'…

'Bedding…  Books…  Cosmetics…' Chairoko surveyed the disorder in Mazurka's bedroom, cataloguing everything as she formulated an approach to doing things.

Then the hardy Clone got to work.  As the clothes were still going through the washer, Chairoko collected the futon & other bedding Mazurka used & stored them.

Or at least, tried to…  The storage closets in Mazurka's bedroom were another level of chaos, with items crammed atop each other in no discernable fashion.

Chairoko blinked, then rapidly revised her estimates of the task at hand.

First, she cleared the storage closet out, so that she had room to put the bedding away.  Then she sorted out the wardrobes, neatly arranging clothes & refolding the underwear that Mazurka had just shoved in the drawers.  Cosmetics, hairspray, underarm deodorant applicators all went into a large cardboard box, regardless of how 'used up' the item appeared to be.

'Mazurka must have had a reason for keeping them,' Chairoko reasoned, 'Since there are many different brands & colour variations, perhaps she was testing them?  Or is it another example of how variety is the spice of life?'

Mazurka's magazines & books presented another problem…  One which Chairoko chewed over as she took a break from cleaning Mazurka's room to put the laundry into the dryer.

'I will follow the way Newsagents arrange their stock,' Chairoko decided, 'I will arrange the magazines by title, then sub-arrange by issue date…  The books will be arranged by author's name…'

A simple enough plan.  Mazurka's magazines were soon arranged in neat order, 'Better Homes & Gardens' & vacation guides standing side by side with copies of 'American Survival Guide' & 'Guns & Ammo'.  Mazurka's books however…

'Real Romance Library…?' Chairoko read the logo emblazoned across the top of one of the books she was sorting, 'Is this the reference material Mazurka said she was going to get for us on 'Romance'?'

Intrigued, Chairoko put the book to one side, & checked for similar articles in the rest of the heap she was sorting.  She soon had two piles, one of various books sporting the terms 'Love' or 'Romance' on their covers, either as part of a series logo, or as part of the actual title of the book, & a much smaller pile of books covering other themes such as spy thrillers & detective stories.

'Mazurka has a lot of 'Romance' research material,' Chairoko observed, 'It will take her some time to summarise the information in it for us…  And she is so busy at work…  Should we help her by reading the books for ourselves?  It could save her some time…'

Chairoko ran an appraising eye over the chaos she had partly organised 'I can start after I have finished tidying things up & put the laundry away…'

Chairoko applied herself to her task, only stopping to change laundry loads in the washer & dryer, & to fold & store the clean clothes.  Even so, sooner rather than later, Mazurka's bedroom had been organised & properly cleaned.

Chairoko surveyed the 'neat & tidy' room she now stood in, then turned her attentions to the pile of 'Romance books'.

'Which should I start with?' she asked herself, 'Perhaps there is an indication on the covers as to what level of information is contained in them?'

Unfortunately for Chairoko, all of the covers of the Romance books were much the same.  Tall, handsome males in fashionable suits or with semi-clothed well-toned bodies, towered protectively over appropriately attired, glamorous looking females.  There was nothing to set one book apart from the other, except…

'Desert Island Duet?' Chairoko paused as the image on the cover sank in.

There was the usual picture of a male protectively holding a female on the cover, but both of them wore badly torn clothes.  The female's ripped attire covered her well enough, but the tattered rags on the male put most of his well-muscled body on public view.  Another difference was the deep tan of the male's sweat-slicked skin, & the way stubble darkened his rugged jaw line.

'Odd,' Chairoko thought as she put the book to one side, 'The man on the cover reminds me of Commander Atari, although he looks nothing like him…?'

Chairoko puzzled over the sense of similarity as she took another break from Mazurka's room to sort & fold the final load of laundry from the dryer.

'Perhaps it is because of his skin tone & facial hair?' Chairoko decided, as she put the clean laundry away.

Having finished her tasks, Chairoko sat down with 'Desert Island Duet' & began to read…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Making the Grade.

Shakey Atari sat on Mazurka's couch, his jaw hanging slackly open in astonishment.  Beside him, the disguised Rave Clone sometimes known as Kuroko was providing the major source of that astonishment, as she applied her personal skills to a computerised combat game Shakey had been losing badly at…

"…aaaaggghhh!" the death rattle came from another of the many thugs Kuroko's game character was battling simultaneously.

Within seconds, the group of thug characters had all been dispatched by hand, leaving Kuroko's game character to pick & choose what 'loot' was available from the fallen.

"H-how did…?" Shakey gasped in disbelief at how effectively, how EASILY Kuroko had wielded her game character.

…In a game Kuroko said the Clones had never played before, on a console system Kuroko said the Clones had never even SEEN before…

"Tactics," Kuroko advised, "When confronting Multiple Attackers, it is best not to try & take them all on at once, but to arrange things so that you can take them on one at a time."

Shakey was puzzled, "But you didn't do that?"

"Even," Kuroko stressed, "If that means retreating & luring them into disorder, or using one-off strikes on various opponents, to keep them disorientated until the cumulative effects of such one-off strikes incapacitates them."

Shakey looked at Kuroko in awe, "Oh Man…  When you asked me to show you how to play, I never thought you'd be this good…!"

Kuroko blushed, "I have had relevant training with other… simulation systems…"

"Oh?  What's your favourite game?"

"I… do not have one," Kuroko answered in all honesty.

"Ah," Shakey smiled as knowingly as any other unsuspecting teenage boy in his situation would, "You don't restrict yourself to any one game, but hone your skills by playing a variety of games…"

Kuroko nodded, unsure if 'playing' was the correct term for the extensive 'Hands-On' Hand-To-Hand Combat training the Rave Clones had experienced.

"So how are you at 'Sword & Sorcery' type games?" Shakey asked.

Kuroko paused, then replied, "I will not know until I play the actual game…"

"NO problem," Shakey grinned as he rummaged through a stack of game disks, "Here's one of my favourites!  It's an oldie but another goodie…"

Kuroko stared at the illustration on the game disk package.

The picture was of a group of characters dressed in the Medieval equivalent of SWAT Gear, including a dark-haired girl in white clothing & cape, a tall blonde swordsman, a happily smiling dark-haired 'priest/monk' looking individual & a character that…

'???' the Clone thought in surprise on seeing the game cover illustration, 'The short red-head looks like Aesir…'

Soon enough, Shaky was showing Kuroko how well he could wield a mystic sword, & use other characters to cast magic spells, their magic fireballs laying waste to everything in range.

'???' the Clone thought in surprise on seeing the mystic capabilities of the game characters, 'The energy balls they discharge have similar effects to how our E.T. Fields can affect things!  Is this simulation based on the ancient stories of such abilities Commander Atari told us about?'

"Which one do you want to try playing first?" Shakey enthusiastically asked his new game partner.

"I…" Kuroko considered her choices, "…will play the red-headed sorceress…"

"You sure?" Shakey asked, "Throwing fireballs isn't as easy as it looks…  Making them is easy enough, but controlling them is another thing altogether…"

"Yes," Kuroko quietly agreed, "It is…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Comparisons.

'It was too much for the overwrought girl.  She suddenly swooned, her imminent fall onto the sharp rocks stopped by the sudden intervention of strong arms.'

"Oh Rod…" she turned her tear filled gaze upon him, before hiding her face against his muscled chest, "I'm so scared!  Please Hold Me!  Hold Me Tight!"

'Rod Walloper, handsome stud muffin Test pilot, cradled her Manfully in his arms, trying to comfort her with gentle words & his gruff, yet caring Macho attitude.  His dimpled jaw clenched resolutely as he contemplated their possible fate, now that they were castaways, marooned together on a remote deserted island…  As she was a pampered Billionaire's Heiress, & was so tender & delicate, she would need a Real Man to care for her in a place like this.'

'Good thing,' thought Rod, 'That I'm MORE than Man enough for BOTH of us…'

The disguised Rave Clone sometimes known as 'Chairoko' sat in Mazurka's bedroom, reading one of Mazurka's many 'Pulp Romance' books.

The book's full title was "Desert Island Duet - A searing novel of Passionate Romance in the Tropics!"  Printed by 'Pot Boiler Publishing', it was the usual sort of escapist romantic literature that people with nothing better in their own love lives often read…

The plot was simple enough, two healthy twenty-something people are thrown together by chance.  Through working together to overcome a mutual ordeal they come to know & respect each other as individuals.  Romance blossoms as their dependence on each other makes them realise they can truly trust one another…

The terminology used in the story telling was the usual sort of politely 'suggestive' imagery the Censor allowed in such publicly available works, even if things did 'Hot-Up-Quite-A-Bit' in later parts of the book.

None of which Chairoko was aware of, as not only was it the first 'Romance Novel' the teenaged girl had ever read, it was also the first work of fiction any of the Rave Clones had ever had the chance to read.

Chairoko absorbed the examples of how Adults acted towards each other in the book, never questioning if the scenarios were truly representative of how people WOULD act in such settings, or even if the characters themselves were 'unrealistic stereotypes'…

And as for the 'Hot Spots' later on in the book…

"So…" a deeply blushing Chairoko observed, "…That's how Adults are SUPPOSED to 'Consummate A Physical Relationship' with each other…"

Having finished the first book, Chairoko picked up another & began to read…

Some time later, Chairoko sat with a puzzled expression on her face.

'This book is unlike the first…  The people in the first book were strangers to each other, yet they strived to work together, to overcome their mutual challenges…  The people in this second book know & initially dislike each other.  Yet, even though their separate occupations are a source of antagonism between them, they eventually become attracted to each other…?  I do not understand?'

Chairoko looked at the large pile of 'Romance Novels' on the floor beside her.

'Perhaps things will become clearer as I assimilate the data in more books?  There may be several types of working models involved, or a model's operational parameters may be more varied & complex than any one book can detail?'

Chairoko reached for a third book & began to read, searching for a better understanding of the complexity of the emotional relationships the book purported to detail.

Later still, & Chairoko was thoroughly confused…

'This is indeed a complex issue…' Chairoko concluded, "We will need Mazurka's guidance to understand what we have learnt…'

Chairoko consulted the digital clock in Mazurka's room, 'She will not leave work for some time yet…  And there is still work to be done by the time she arrives…'

With that, Chairoko finished tidying up the 'Romance Books', putting them in a group by themselves, rather than with the few other novels Mazurka had.

Outside in the Living Room, Kuroko was proving just how effectively she could wield the most powerful magic fireballs her game character could produce.

Abruptly, Kuroko hit the 'save' button for the game, freezing the game & saving the current level for future use.  Shakey blinked in surprise at the action.

"It is time to prepare supper," Kuroko replied in response to Shakey's bewildered look, "Will you be taking a bath before Mazurka arrives?"

"Uh… yeah…  I guess so…" Shakey agreed, knowing from personal experience that Mazurka tended to 'hog' the bathroom when she used it.

"We will prepare the bath for you then…" Kuroko murmured, before leaving Shakey for the kitchen.

In the Bathroom, Chairoko began filling the bathtub, acting in synch with the unspoken intentions of her sister Clone.

Out in the living room, Shakey sighed, then reached for his crutches.  He rose from his seated position with more than few creaks & twinges from his injured body, muttering under his breath at the unpleasant sensations as he shuffled off to his room to get a change of clothes.

In the bathroom, Shakey propped his crutches against the wall, then set about the process of undressing.  He took his time, as his bruised muscles strongly protested the stretching required by his actions.  It was with a grateful groan that he finally sat down on the low stool the Japanese used in their ablutions.

"What a day…" Shakey sighed as he poured the first ladle of warm water over his head, prior to 'lathering up' his hair.  'I never figured Rave as the 'Game Girl' type…  Hmmm…  I don't remember seeing a TV in her apartment, let alone any sort of game console unit…  Maybe she plays in the Arcades?'

An image of Rave, standing at an arcade game with a neutral expression on her face & humming 'I'm A Pinball Wizard" as she broke the 'High Score' sprang into Shakey's mind, making him laugh.  Unfortunately, the action caused the sudsy bar of soap to slip from his grasp & slither somewhere across the floor.

"Oh Great!" Shakey moaned at his bad luck, the soapsuds on his face preventing him from opening his eyes & finding the lost soap.  He groped blindly…

"Here…" the quietly spoken word was accompanied by the feeling of a soft hand taking his, while a familiar slippery oblong shape was pressed into it.

Shakey froze.

"I will do your back for you," the familiar voice advised, just before Shakey felt the sensation of the washcloth running over the skin of his back.

"R-RaVe??" Shakey squeaked, his blush escaping the confines of his face & spreading over his entire body, "Is that YOU?"

"Yes," confirmed the Rave Clone.

W-what are you DOING in here!?"

"Washing your back…"

"…B-but…?!"

"We have orders," the Clone stated, "…to keep you safe.  The bathroom is often a site for accidents in the home, & you are still hampered by your injuries…"

Shakey barely heard the Clone.  Like any teenage male, he was going through the time of life when young men have severe insecurities about their appearance, & relationships with other people.  That the current situation did not cause 'Terminal Embarrassment', was because the 'Humiliatingly Intrusive' medical examinations he had endured since arriving in the City, had partly desensitised him to being naked in the presence of others.  The skin-tight 'Snug-Suits' the pilots wore, & the training exercise where he'd had to pilot nude also helped…

"…Th-thanks…" Shakey croaked out, unsure of what else to say.

"It is our pleasure," replied the Clone…

As Shakey radiated embarrassment, the Rave Clone continued to perform her duty as 'carer' & help him with his ablutions.  As she did so, she couldn't help but notice the various lumps, bruises, lacerations & scratches that were the result of the recent gang attack on Shakey.

Or for that matter, other things about the frail-hearted Teenage boy…

'He is not very muscular,' Chairoko observed.

Her thoughts drifted back to the books she had read, especially the various descriptions of the Male characters as being 'strong', 'hard-muscled', or any of the other phrases that described their Macho-Manly Physiques.

'But then,' Chairoko remembered how Shakey had comforted Rave#3 by holding her, 'He did not need physical strength…  He has…'

Chairoko's evaluation trailed off as her mind searched for the particular word that would delineate the elusive quality in the memory concerned.

'…presence…' Chairoko decided, combining various meanings of the word in her mind, '…like his father the Commander…  You know when he is there…'

With Shakey's back now squeaky clean, Chairoko asked, "Do you wish assistance with the rest of your personal hygiene needs?"

"NO!" Shakey immediately said from behind a deeper blush, "I'm Fine!  REALLY!"  The embarrassed boy then proceeded to prove it, rapidly running through the rest of his ablutions before the Clone could intervene, "I'm clean, see!?"

"In that case, I shall help you into the bath…" the Clone's response shattered any illusion Shakey had that he was in the clear…

Shakey was too embarrassed to protest, his mind going into 'sooner begun, sooner done' mode.  The feeling of bare skin as arms wrapped around him did nothing to help his state of mind.

The process of getting Shakey into the tub was over very quickly, as Shakey decided to try & use the water level in the tub as something to hide behind.  He huddled in the tub, making himself as small as possible, the water level coming up to just below his nose, his eyes focussed firmly on the tiles of the tub.

'What do I do now?' Shakey asked himself in a rising panic, 'Rave might not have problems with being naked around others…  But… I'm a BOY, & she's a GIRL for crying out loud!'

Shakey's eyes flicked sideways, trying to determine if he was alone in the room while his flustered mind tried to figure out what to do next.  Shakey swallowed hard as he realised Chairoko was still in the room with him.

Chairoko waited patiently nearby, in case Shakey needed help.

To Shakey's immense relief, the female Clone was dressed in a white one-piece swimsuit, & not naked as Shakey had feared she might be.  Chairoko stood quietly, her expression neutral as she kept a watchful eye on Shakey, seemingly unfazed by the situation the two were in.

Shakey meanwhile…

'Please God!' Shakey pleaded from behind closed eyes, 'Don't let me undergo 'Thermal Expansion'…  Please make Rave leave the bathroom before I have to get out & dry off!  And above all else, DON'T let Mazurka find out about this!!'

Shakey's first request was easily granted, as the amount of blood used for his body-wide blush prevented any 'Thermal Expansion' from occurring.  The second request was something God didn't grant, as the Rave Clone diligently waited to assist Shakey with 'Towel duties'…  The third…

"Nice meal," Mazurka congratulated her unpaid Housekeepers as they ate.  With a mischievous gleam in her eyes, Mazurka asked, "Who's first for the bathroom?"

"Shakey has already bathed," one of the Clones advised, much to Shakey's horror.

"Oh?" Mazurka asked slyly, "Did he ask for help with his 'personal' hygiene?"

Shakey immediately choked on his food.

"No," Kuroko truthfully replied as Chairoko applied the 'Heimlich Manoeuvre' on the choking Shakey, "He took care of things himself…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Spatial Perceptions.

Mazurka yawned as she entered her bedroom, a great jaw-cracking stretch as her body announced that the long day had her more than ready for a hot shower & bed.

Mazurka opened her eyes from her yawn & stopped dead in her tracks, blinking in surprise at the vista of neatness & order that existed in the room.

"What the…?" Mazurka wondered as she looked around her.

A few seconds later Mazurka was back in the Living Room, & tapping one of the 'Maid' Clones on the shoulder…

"Err…  Rave?" Mazurka began, "My bedroom?"

"We cleaned the entire apartment," Kuroko replied, "As per the Jobs Board."

Mazurka blinked, "But…  My bedroom's not ON the Jobs Board?"

"Neither is the Living Room, Kitchen, Entry Foyer, Hallway or Patio," Kuroko responded, "But the jobs of vacuuming, tidying up, garbage disposal, washing windows, wiping down walls, & laundry are applicable to many of them."

"Yes, but… MY bedroom has been changed around…" Mazurka protested, "I can't FIND anything!  Nothing's where I left it!"

The Clone blinked, "Nothing was removed from your bedroom except for Laundry & garbage.  The rest of your personal equipment did not appear to be in any sort of recognisable hierarchy or order, so we re-organised for maximum efficiency…"

"Ah well," Mazurka muttered, "It wasn't exactly IN order, but I KNEW where everything was, & now that it's all changed I can't lay my hands on things…"

What were you looking for?"

"EVERYTHING!"

"I will show you where everything is…" the Rave Clone said as she walked towards Mazurka's bedroom.

In Mazurka's bedroom, the Rave Clone went about showing Mazurka exactly where everything had been put…

"…underwear in the drawers," the Clone advised, opening the drawer in question, "All dresses are either hanging in the cupboard, or neatly folded up as there were not enough hangers for all of them…"

The Clone rambled on, detailing the storage system that had been imposed on Mazurka's carefree lifestyle…

"What about the clothes I had in the heap on the floor?" Mazurka asked.

"The Laundry has been washed & stored in with the other clean clothes…"

"Rave," Mazurka sighed, "Just because the clothes were ON the floor, doesn't mean they were dirty…"

The Clone blinked, "But you did not have a laundry basket?"

"I…" Mazurka paused, then gave a deeper sigh, "…had my OWN sorting system…"

"…I see…" the Clone murmured, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment as her gaze dropped to the floor, "And we have disrupted it…"

"It's okay Rave," Mazurka reached out & patted the Clone's shoulder for emphasis, "No harm done…"

The Clone continued to look at the floor, an unhappy expression on her face.

"Hey," Mazurka gently squeezed the Clone's shoulder affectionately, "It needed a makeover anyway…  A change is good every now & then, otherwise things can get stale…"

The Clone straightened up somewhat.

"However," Mazurka said in stern tones, "In future you should ASK before changing things in a person's room!"

"What about Aesir's?"

"What do you mean, 'Aesir's'?" Mazurka asked with a sense of growing unease.

"We also tidied her room," the Clone admitted, an unhappy look on her face, "Were we wrong to do that as well?"

'Hoo Boy!' Mazurka's face twitched at the thought of how Aesir would react to finding her personal possessions were as thoroughly 'rearranged' as Mazurka's were, "Just what exactly did you DO in her room?  No, don't tell me…  SHOW me!"

Shortly thereafter, the pair were in Aesir's room, the Clone advising Mazurka of what EXACTLY the Clone had done when tidying up Aesir's bedroom.

'It's not so bad,' Mazurka thought with a great sense of relief, 'The room was more or less organised as it was…  If Aesir notices anything is out of place when she gets back, I can just tell her it was because of normal housekeeping…'

Mazurka turned to the Clone beside her, "Rave, everything's okay, what you did in here is not a problem from my point of view.  However, I think Aesir would be more than a little upset if she found out that another person had gone through her things.  So it's probably best not to tell her you did so…"

"I understand," the Clone confirmed, "Our actions are on a need to know basis."

"Err…  You could phrase it like that, yes," Mazurka conceded, "However, if Aesir asks about it, just say that I was in here…"

"But you did not clean the room?" the puzzled Clone observed.

"I never said you should say that I did," Mazurka smiled, "Just tell Aesir that **I** was in here if she wants to know who moved her things around…"

"I… see…"

"It's one of the many things you'll learn as you go through life," Mazurka confided, "People can't always handle the full truth of a situation.  Even if they do know the 'big picture', things are often easier for them to handle if they don't know all the small details…  It's the basis for the old saying 'What you don't know, can't hurt you…'…"

"But," the Clone protested, "That is incorrect, what you do not know CAN hurt you, or even prove fatal…"

Mazurka sighed, once again she had to match wits with the overly analytical abilities of an under-socialised mind…

"What it really means…" Mazurka sighed, "Is that there are some bits of information that can cause people problems, mainly because the people will concentrate disproportionately on the particular piece of information & how it MIGHT affect them…  In other words, they will 'obsess' over it, often working themselves into a harmful emotional state."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because… the information may concern some important matter in their lives, or may appear to be a warning to them.  For example, Aesir's room…  Aesir looks after it herself, & she takes pride in the knowledge that she CAN take care of it herself.  Having someone else clean it for her, signifies that she is somehow incapable of doing it for herself."

The Rave Clone nodded, "So the fact another person cleaned her room might signify that her capabilities were failing?"

Mazurka shrugged, "It could be seen that way, but there's also the more important matter of having someone intrude in her 'Personal Space'…"

"Personal Space?  But she is not here?"

'I need another drink,' Mazurka decided, 'An impromptu 'Life Lesson' after the day I've just had is asking too much…'

"It doesn't matter where she is,' Mazurka stated wearily, "All People have different types of 'Personal Space' in their lives."

"To start with, everyone has the 'inner space' of their bodies as a starting point.  This type of personal space is the basis from which we define our physical & mental selves, & the effect the world around us has on us.  Our perceptions about this 'inner space' are often subconscious, unless we experience a strong enough stimulus, such as pain, hunger, hot, cold, etc."

"The second type of Personal Space, is space around a person, or 'near space'.  Like the first type of personal space, it helps determine our perception of our selves, & things around us, but more importantly, it determines how we see ourselves in relation to other people."

"Most people will consider any place they spend a lot of time in, or frequently visit, to be a type of 'Personal Space'.  Public or Private, Work or Home, makes no real difference, just the amount of 'familiarity' with the place in question, or whether the place is seen as a source of status or other symbol of their own abilities."

"Like Aesir's bedroom?"

"Yes, but there's more to it than that…  Places that provide Privacy, where a person can be alone & unobserved, also create a sense of refuge & security.  The belief that a person is secure is highly important, as it enables them to relax, & offload the stresses of society.  A person's home is a place where people will spend most of their lives.  Because of that, it's considered to be one of the most 'Private Spaces' in a person's life.  And of the many rooms in a home, one of the most important 'Private Spaces' is the place where a person feels secure enough to sleep.  That is, the bedroom."

The Clone nodded, understanding dawning within her.

"Of course," Mazurka added, "…it's arguable as to whether or not the bedroom equals or exceeds the other 'most private' rooms in a house.  The ones where people take care of their bodily hygiene needs, such as the Toilet & Bathroom…"

The Clone blinked, a blush going over her face as she remembered, 'We assisted Shakey in the Bathroom!  Did we intrude on his personal space?'

"Mazurka…" the pink-faced Clone began, "If we… were to assist someone… with their bodily hygiene… would that be seen as intruding on their privacy?"

"Why?" Mazurka smiled on noting the Clone's embarrassed state, "Thinking of asking Shakey if he needs a hand washing himself?  Hmmm?"

The red-faced Clone paused, then remembering Mazurka's recent words about people 'not needing to know all the small details', whispered, "…something… like that…"

"Ha!" Mazurka grinned, "Shakey'd probably die of embarrassment if any girl offered to wash his back for him…  Let alone saw him in the nude…"

"…he… would…?" a very subdued Clone muttered.

'Poor thing,' Mazurka's sympathetic nature kicked in as she saw Rave's subdued attitude, 'I probably should ease up on her a bit…'

"OH Yeah!" Mazurka chuckled, "You should have seen Shakey's face the first time Ritzy gave him a medical examination!  He thought he was going to have a MALE doctor!  I tell you, he went as red as a tomato!"

Mazurka couldn't help herself, she broke down laughing at the memory.

The Clones' thoughts were in turmoil, We have… intruded… on Shakey's private space…  We meant to help, but we may have… harmed… him instead…

"…may I go now?" the Clone meekly asked.

"Sh-sure!" gasped Mazurka, as she wiped tears from her eyes, "No problems…"

The Rave Clone fled the room, seeking the company of the other Clone in the kitchen.  Mazurka shook her head as she laughed her way to her room, & shortly afterwards, to the bathroom with some clean clothes.

Meanwhile, the Clones had been having their OWN emotional reaction…

What should we do?  Our actions in the bathroom have upset Shakey!  He went red!  We cleaned his room too?  Is he upset over that as well?  He did not say anything about his room?  Was he trying to protect our feelings?  Is he upset with us?  Does he think it is 'not a problem'?  What if he does?

An unpleasant feeling began spreading through the Group Mind, it was one of wanting to do something, but not knowing how to start…

We do not like this feeling… the Group Mind decided This… uncertainty…

We do not know Shakey's thoughts on these matters…

We do not… know… how to deal with what we have done…

We could ask Mazurka for guidance?

But…

An unspoken feeling of trepidation passed over the Group Mind.

Mazurka helps us understand things…

She teaches us so that we do not make more mistakes…

We have failed her…

The Clones fell silent as they remembered the prices they had paid for earlier failures in training…

We… must find out Shakey's thoughts on these matters…

He promised he would talk with us about things concerning the two of us…

While Mazurka luxuriated under the warm needles of a hot shower, the two disguised Rave Clones in Mazurka's apartment made their way to Shakey's room.  They paused outside the closed door of Shakey's room, then in perfect, albeit hesitant unison, they both reached out a hand & gently knocked on the door.

"Yeah?" came a non-committal sort of reply from within Shakey's room.

"Shakey?" the two Clones chorused, "May we come in?"

"Sure!" came the muffled response, "It's not locked…"

The Clones opened the door, revealing Shakey sitting at his desk, a battery tester in one hand, & several batteries scattered over his desktop.  His Walkman lay nearby, the battery hatch open & the battery compartment empty.

"What's up?" Shakey asked casually.

"…shakey… we…" both Clones began, before stopping.

Shakey looked at the two Clones, a perplexed look on his face.

"…are you…" both Clones breathed, "…upset… with us?"

"Upset?" Shakey repeated in surprise, "Over what?"

"…cleaning your room…"

Shakey blinked, "Why would I be upset that you cleaned my room?  I certainly wasn't able to do it myself?"

The hearts of the Clones skipped a beat, He does not hold that against us!  Then perhaps he…

"…the bathroom," both Clones murmured, their eyes peering timidly out from beneath their lowered fringes.

Shakey blushed, then reacted as many other teenage boys would when confronted by such an embarrassing situation…

"Oh that's… that's all right!" Shakey blushed, one hand fluttered randomly for emphasis while the other assumed a self conscious pose at the back of his head.

The Clones breathed a sigh of relief.

He does not seem to be as badly upset as we feared he might be…

Is that because he does not see us as an intrusion in his Private Space?

The Group Mind paused to consider this.

The Commander… trusts us enough to let us near him…

Even when we were being held after neutralising Shakey's assailants, the Commander still interviewed us, face to face…

Well within attack distance…

He knew our abilities, but did not treat us as if we were a… threat… to him…

In Shakey's room, the two Clones relaxed, their faces smiling serenely at a person whose acceptance of them, was as much a part of the Clones own 'Private Space' as any building ever had been…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Lending Library.

Mazurka sauntered out of the Bathroom, feeling refreshed in mind & body.  The good meal she'd eaten was helping her sense of well-being, as her digestive system started assimilating the healthy fare.

A satisfied burp escaped her as she entered her room, & shut the door.

Mazurka's face fell slightly as she considered her too-neat room, 'Now then, futon & bedding should be in the airing closet…'

The items were still where the Rave Clone had said they would be, & Mazurka lugged them out & set them up on the floor of the room.

Mazurka yawned, then turned off the light, & climbed into bed.

Five minutes later…

"Mazurka?" the soft feminine voice echoed slightly through the darkness.

"Mmmmph? Whazzit?" Mazurka mumbled as she struggled back from the brink of peaceful oblivion.

"…we need to ask you something…"

Mazurka rubbed her bleary eyes & peered through the gloom, trying to see who was talking to her in the dark…

…And nearly had a heart attack as she saw four glowing ovals in the dark.

The two Rave Clones knelt near Mazurka, their pupils dilated to reveal the cat-like glow of their retinas.

"Puh-put the light on…" Mazurka stammered out.

One set of ovals disappeared as the Rave Clone owning them went & switched the light in Mazurka's room on.  The sudden appearance of two rather ordinary looking girls in Maid outfits helped Mazurka's heart resume a more normal beat.

"What about?" Mazurka asked tersely, returning to the Clones request.

"We know that you work long hours," the Clones began, "And we noticed that you have assembled many reference books on Social matters.  We were wondering if you would prefer us to read the books, then ask you any question we have?"

Mazurka's mind was still half asleep, & so she didn't really register what the Clones were saying.

"…yeah… …sure…" Mazurka mumbled, "…whatever…  Just lemme get some sleep before asking any questions…"

"Thank You," the Clones chorused.

The Clone near the door of Mazurka's room turned off the light, leaving only a few soft rustling noises as the only indication of the Clones presence.

"…nodda bad idea," Mazurka slurred in her sleep, "…homework with a test… ZZZZ"

As Mazurka dropped off to sleep, the Clones quietly extracted the many copies of 'Romance Novels' that Mazurka had in her room.

Outside in the kitchen, the two Clones set up their 'Homework' in the kitchen.

There is a lot to get through Kuroko observed.

The two of us will manage by morning Chairoko estimated If we merely scan the words, the Others can take the time to evaluate the data while we sleep

Mondai Arimasen (No Problem) the Group Mind confirmed Standing By for Data Download…  Proceed when ready…

You cannot spend all night reading Clone#77 countered You will have to sleep or your ability to protect Shakey may suffer

True Chairoko agreed Standard combat sleep shifts will enable one of us to always be awake & alert in case of danger…  As I have already read three of the books, I will sleep while Kuroko scans

Agreed Kuroko confirmed I will wake you in three hours

Things sorted out, the Clones got down to business…

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Morning Glory.

The day dawned bright & clear with the promise of another beautiful day…

In Mazurka's bedroom, a radio alarm clock switched on, a trendy pop tune wafting from its speakers.  Mazurka stirred beneath her covers, drowsily waking up to the light & noise that seeped through her curtains from the world outside.

"…aagghh… whodtymeizzit" Mazurka yawned incoherently, "…uuhhhhh… why's it so early?  Oh, thass right… godda 'nuther BIG Day…"

Mazurka stretched under the covers, then kicked them off & stumbled groggily to her feet.  Once up, she turned automatically to the pile of clean clothes that lived on the floor, with intentions of getting something to wear…

"What?" Mazurka blinked as she noticed her 'ground-level wardrobe' wasn't where it should be.  Nor for that matter, was any of Mazurka's OTHER gear.  She turned her head about in bewilderment, wondering…

"Hey?  Where am I?  Did I get 'Lucky' last night or…?"

Mazurka's memory suddenly brought her up to speed…

"Oh yeah!  The Girls cleaned things up!  Huh, never would of guessed how much the place could change 'till it did…"

A short time later & Mazurka was sauntering out to the bathroom.  On her way, Mazurka passed by the Kitchen & noticed that the brown-haired Clone called Chairoko was sitting at the breakfast table reading a book…

…And surrounded by a large pile of Mazurka's 'Romance Novels'…

"ACK!!" Mazurka exclaimed as he realised what 'type' of book the Clone was reading, let alone the title of the book in question…

"What are you doing with THOSE?!" Mazurka demanded, her shower forgotten.

"Reading them," Chairoko replied, "As per your permission…"

Mazurka stopped as part of her mind replayed a memory of the Clones asking if they could read 'reference books'…

"…oh… GOD…!" Mazurka groaned as she slumped onto one of the chairs at the table.

"Mazurka?" queried the alarmed Clone, "Are you all right?"

"Is that," Mazurka ignored the Clone's question & gesticulated at the pile of 'Romance Novels', "…the reference material you said you wanted to read?"

"Yes," the Clone confirmed, her worried gaze never leaving Mazurka…

Mazurka's head slowly dropped forward to rest on the table.  She took a deep, DEEP, cleansing breath, held it, then slowly let it out…

"…I didn't think you meant THOSE books…" Mazurka said in a small voice.

"Oh?" the Clone asked, a note of interest in her voice, "You have others then?"

Mazurka opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it as she reviewed the actual material she had been evaluating for the Clones' educational needs…

'Great!' Mazurka began stressing out as the reality hit her, 'I get the usual 'Everything A Teenage Girl Should Know' books, INCLUDING up-to-date ones dealing with AIDS, VD, contraceptives, Underage Pregnancies & **ALL** the rest of it…  And they read my 'Adults Only' romance novels before seeing ANY of it!!'

Mazurka lifted her head & looked at the pile of books on the table.

'At least,' Mazurka started grabbing at straws in an attempt to see a bright side, 'They've only had them since last night…'

"We will start immediately on the others, if that is all right with you…" said Chairoko, as she started bundling the books in her arms.

"YES!" exclaimed Mazurka, relieved that the girls would be getting 'real' information about such matters, instead of unrealistic fantasies.

"As we have finished these," the Clone added, "I will put them in your room…"

Mazurka's head fell back on the table, 'I forgot they were 'Speed Readers'…!"

As Chairoko started off with the load of books, some low words from Mazurka stopped her in her tracks…

"Rave?" Mazurka propped herself up as best she could, "When you've put those in my room, come back here 'cause we REALLY need to talk!"

Seconds later & Chairoko was back at the table, along with a freshly woken Kuroko.  Mazurka was nursing an 'Irish Coffee', made from equal parts of 'paint thinner' strength coffee, & 'High Octane' fine Irish whiskey…

Given the situation Mazurka was in, it was the only way to start the day.  A jolt of caffeine to kick-start the brain, & a dash of alcohol to keep it happy…

"Girls…" Mazurka began, "Those books… were NOT the ones I intended for you to get your Sex Education from…  You should NOT have been reading them…"

"Were they too advanced for us?" Kuroko asked innocently.

"OH YES!" Mazurka readily agreed, "They are… MUCH… too advanced for you…"

Mazurka took a large swig of her coffee, pausing to savour the feeling as the caffeine-flavoured alcohol hit her bloodstream…

"Those books," Mazurka continued, "Are designed for Adults, who KNOW enough about Human Relationships to be able to appreciate that a different… viewpoint… on something, is like ANY other viewpoint on the same topic…  That is, although they have points for & against them, ultimately they are JUST viewpoints, they are NOT the final & total be-all & end-all of the topic under consideration…"

The Clones considered this before asking, "Were the varied relationship models in the books a type of 'Lateral Thinking' as applied to Human relationships?"

Mazurka sighed, "Sort of…  Sort of…  But most people would refer to them as 'Fantasies'…  Creations of the imagination that safely allow us to explore the limits of our psyches, without having to worry about doing harm to anyone in the real world…  As such, they are ONLY intended to be accessed by those Adults able to handle viewpoints that are radically different to their own.  Adults who have enough 'Life Experience', to be able to see beyond the situations described in the books, & see into the hearts & lives of those involved…"

"And YOU," Mazurka indicated the Clones with a commanding gaze & slight incline of her head, "Have NOT yet had enough 'Life Experience'…  You've barely had enough to understand such simple concepts as 'Friendship'…"

The Clones lowered their gaze, accepting Mazurka's appraisal of their limitations without question.

"The books I INTENDED for you to read," Mazurka raised an eyebrow, "Contain information that can protect you from the hidden dangers in the relationships you've been reading about.  Dangers that most people DON'T want to think about, so they deliberately leave them out of the fantasies they create…"

The Clones looked thoughtful, "So, those books have fed us misinformation?"

"Yes & No…  Yes & No…" Mazurka paused to take another swig, "Yes they have, in that they haven't warned you about some of the bad things that MAY happen if a person tries the things they've read about, & No they haven't, as there was no obligation on the author to mention dangers most Adults already know about…"

"Is that ethical?"

Mazurka shrugged, "It's like buying a car…  The seller is not obliged to enquire about the Driver's training, knowledge, or abilities…  Only to ensure that the car is roadworthy…  Since a car is designed to be driven on a road, it is always assumed that the buyer knows how to drive a car, & knows the rules of the road."

"As I SAID," Mazurka stressed, "Most adults already know about the dangers, either having learnt the hard way from their own mistakes, or having learnt the easy way, from the advice & examples of others.  Of the two, the latter is preferable over the former…  It's not only less painful, but less dangerous…"

"We understand," the Clones chorused, "A person learns from their own mistakes, a Sage learns from another person's mistakes, & a fool learns from neither…"

"And a Smart Woman," Mazurka smirked, "Thinks before acting, & thus avoids making the mistake in the first place…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Bowing Out.

The alarm clock rang tinnily, forcing consciousness on the nearby sleeper.

Shakey Atari rolled over in his bed, one hand flailing out to hit the alarm clock's 'snooze' button with practised precision.  Having gained a few minutes of dreamy respite, Shakey rolled back & stared at the ceiling in his room.

"…another day…" Shakey muttered, "…wonder if Mazurka will let me go to school?  Hmmmph… probably not…  haven't been cleared by a doctor…"

Shakey lay in his bed until the alarm clock repeated its call to get up.

Sighing, Shakey gave into the inevitable, & started to get out of bed.  A pained scowl on his face, the injured youth ignored the silent offer of help from his crutches, opting to stand on his own two feet.  He stood up, his bruised & abused body protesting the demands he now placed on it.

"…at least I CAN walk…" Shakey thought with triumph, sparing a disdainful glare at the unused crutches, "…I hate using those things…"

As if to prove a point, Shakey hobbled his way around his room, trying to prove to himself that he was not some crippled invalid.

The sudden knock at his door startled him so much he nearly fell over…

"Yes?" Shakey called out, recovering from the unexpected shock.

"Breakfast is ready," the voice of a Rave Clone came through the door.

"Be out in a minute!" Shakey yelled back, heading back to his crutches.

'I suppose I should use one…" Shakey wore a sour expression on his face as he picked up a crutch, '…just until I get my balance back…'

Soon after, Shakey was moving slowly through Mazurka's apartment on one crutch.

"Good to see you're feeling better," Mazurka stopped drinking beer long enough to chirp happily at the sight, "Does this mean you're half-healed?"

"I wish," Shakey groaned as he flopped down onto a chair at the Breakfast table, "I can stand without them, but I still need the extra balance…"

"Do you feel funny?" Mazurka asked, all trace of humour gone from her face & voice, "Any Nausea?  Blurry vision?  Vertigo?"

Shakey shook his head, "No, nothing like that…  My sense of balance is okay, it's just that my muscles don't like moving…  Bruising, I guess…"

Mazurka looked relieved, "Well if you DO feel funny, or 'not right', tell one of the Girls here & we'll get a doctor to have a look at you.  All Right?"

"All Right," Shakey agreed without any enthusiasm.

"Good!" Mazurka emphasized, before downing another beer.

"Breakfast is served," Kuroko laid a large bowl of muesli in front of Shakey, as well as a freshly opened carton of milk.  She & Chairoko stood nearby, waiting patiently to offer whatever assistance Shakey should ask for.

"Thanks," Shakey said as he poured the milk, "I…"

The Rave Clones suddenly turned away from Shakey's comment & faced towards the door of Mazurka's apartment.  As one, they fled into Aesir's room & shut the door behind them.  Shakey heard the click of the door's lock.

"What's going on?" Shakey turned to Mazurka with the obvious question.  Mazurka merely shrugged her shoulders in reply.

The sudden sound of the doorbell provided some clue.

"I'll get it," Mazurka said loudly, twigging that the Clones didn't want whoever was at the door to see them. 'But how did they know?' Mazurka asked herself.

Mazurka opened the door to reveal Kantsee Hayeater & Rave Imanonymous…

…flanked by Kuroko & Chairoko Musume, the two Rave Clones who were acting as Shakey's bodyguards & Mazurka's unpaid maids, the two Rave Clones who were currently hiding in Aesir's bedroom…

"Good Morning Major Kutsarug," Kantsee said politely, "These young ladies & myself have come to pay our respects to Shakey.  Is he receiving visitors?"

"…ah…" Mazurka was dumbstruck as she looked at the two disguised Clones standing behind 'Rave' & Kantsee.

Unseen by Kantsee, the Clones all raised a hand to their face & pressed a finger against their lips in the universal 'stay quiet' symbol.

"…yesss," Mazurka recovered beautifully, "You can come in & see him.  He's having breakfast, but he'll be able to see you for a short while…"

The quartet trouped in, heading straight for Shakey at the breakfast table.  Mazurka tapped the shoulder of 'Rave'.  Rave stopped & turned to Mazurka.  Mazurka didn't speak, instead he raised an eyebrow questioningly & tilted her head towards Aesir's bedroom.  The Clone responded with a small nod.

'So that's how they knew…' Mazurka realised, a shiver going through her as she remembered a recent talk with another 'Rave' Clone, 'When one of them knows something, they all know it…'

At the breakfast table, Shakey was having mixed reactions…

"Shakey!" Kantsee said with genuine concern, "I would have come to see you sooner, but I only found out late last night…  What happened?"

'What the…???' Shakey stared at the two girls behind Kantsee, the two who had just been dressed in Maid uniforms, & who were now wearing school uniforms.

Unseen by Kantsee, Mazurka was frantically shaking her head while pointing at the two school-uniformed Rave Clones, & mouthing the words, 'Not Them!'

"…uh…" a bewildered Shakey tried to respond, "…I met some people…"

"Good morning Shakey," chorused the 'Twins', "How are you feeling today?"

"…ah…  m-Much better…" Shakey stammered, "Thank you…"

Kantsee leaned in close & whispered conspiratorially, "First a truck, now you happen to 'meet some people'…  I hope NERVIS has you under surveillance…"

"…it's… not like THAT…" Shakey replied to Kantsee's 'Conspiracy Theory Mode' insinuations, "…I ran into a group of thugs, & they… they…"

Mazurka suddenly stepped in & answered for Shakey, "Returned the favour by running over HIM…  Please be patient with him, he's on medication, & has only just woken up…  He'll be a little slow until he gets warmed up…"

"We will not stay long," the Clone impersonating 'Rave' spoke quietly, with a small smile at Shakey as she did so, "We know that Shakey needs to rest…"

Mazurka's face twitched slightly at the Clone's words, 'Who exactly does she mean by 'we'?'

Kantsee reached out & clapped a hand on Shakey's shoulder, a simple act of Manly type Male-Bonding that was broken when he said, "Don't Worry!  I'll make sure you get all your home work assignments…"

"err… Thanks…" Shakey replied, still off-balanced by the sight of the Clones.

"Who wants a lift to School?" Mazurka came to Shakey's rescue.

"YES!" being a typical teenage boy, Kantsee was more than enthusiastic at the prospect of being chauffeured by a beautiful woman…

"All right then," Mazurka smiled, "Parking lot in two minutes, I've got to get to work early…"

Mazurka followed the group of teenagers out of the apartment, pausing before she locked the door behind her to yell back at Shakey, "See you later…"

The door closed, & there was silence in the apartment.  Shakey ate his soggy muesli, chewing automatically on the mush as he tried to appreciate what had just happened.  A few seconds after the door had closed behind Mazurka, the door to Aesir's bedroom opened & the two Rave Clones came out.

"I take it," Shakey said slowly to the two Clones, "They were… others?"

"Yes" the Clones replied as they cleared the breakfast table, "They were…"

**********************************************************************

Chapter - Filling In The Blanks.

Shakey had just finished breakfast, & was hobbling over to veg out in front of the Television when another knock sounded at the door.

The two disguised Rave Clones in Mazurka's kitchen immediately turned towards the door with an air of polite wariness on their faces.

"I'll get it!" Shakey called out as he changed course for the door.

Shakey pushed himself, increasing his speed so that he could answer the door instead of the Clones.  His efforts were not just an attempt to be helpful on his part, but were also an attempt to reassure himself that he was still capable of doing the little things for himself.

"Just a minute!" Shakey called out to reassure his unseen visitor.  Shakey fumbled with the door latch, opening the door to reveal…

Natsumi Iwakawa, the young girl who had recently become part of Shakey's circle of friends.

"Good morning," Natsumi said with a cheerful smile.  Her bright expression fell away as she stared at the crutch Shakey was supporting himself with.  In more sombre tones she quietly asked, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Shakey admitted with an embarrassed smile.  Then as much to change the topic as to prove he was still capable of being hospitable, Shakey gestured into Mazurka's apartment with his free hand & said, "Please come in…"

Natsumi shuffled past Shakey into Mazurka's apartment, sparing the injured boy a look of sympathetic pity.

…And stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the two disguised Rave Clones…

Natsumi's eyes went wide, & her body trembled slightly as a frightened look took hold of her face.

"Good Morning Natsumi," the two disguised Clones chorused politely, "And how are you this morning?"

Natsumi fainted by way of reply…

"Natsumi?" Shakey asked, blinking in shock as the girl crumpled onto the floor before him.

The two Clones moved into action, kneeling beside Natsumi's unconscious form & checking pulse & pupils with swift precision.  Apparently satisfied with what they found, the Clones slid their arms under the comatose girl & carried her to Mazurka's lounge.  Within a few seconds of Natsumi's collapse, the stricken girl was lying on Mazurka's couch, her feet elevated above her head with several cushions, & a blanket draped over her.

"What?" Shakey asked, proving that he was so much in control of the situation, that he knew when to ask for information.

"Sit," one of the Clones said to Shakey as the other Clone brought a lounge chair over & arranged it to face Natsumi's head, "She has fainted from emotional shock, & will need someone to be there to reassure her when she awakes."

"…um…" Shakey said as he sat down on the chair, "…emotional shock?"

"Yes," the Clones confirmed with a slight blush, "She had been living under a lot of stress before we met, & she had not recovered sufficiently when…"

"…hnnn…" the soft moan forced the Clones into watchful silence as Natsumi began to regain consciousness.

"We will be in the kitchen," the Clones stated quietly as they turned & walked off, "Should either of you require our services…"

Natsumi struggled awake, & sat up gasping for breath, a faint sweat on her brow.

"Natsumi?" Shakey said as he reached out to lightly tap her shoulder, "Are you…"

Natsumi startled at Shakey's touch, turning to regard him with a wild, frightened look in her eyes before collapsing against the bewildered boy.

"…oh God!"  Natsumi sobbed, as tears ran down her face, "…they're here…"

Shakey sat in Mazurka's lounge room, cradling a nearly hysterical girl, offering what comfort he could as the girl suffered through an emotional overload.

'What's going on?' Shakey asked himself, the job made harder by the slight fog his painkillers had him in, 'Why did Natsumi faint?  The Clones said it was an emotional overload?  But why would it hit her here…?'

Enlightenment suddenly struck Shakey, '…wait a minute?…  Natsumi said…  They're here…?  Was she referring to the Clones?  Hmmm… she arrived just after Mazurka left…  Did she see the other Clones with Mazurka & get confused on seeing them here in the apartment so soon afterwards?  Yeah!  That's got to be it!  The Clones DID hide themselves rather than let others see them together'

Shakey breathed a sigh of relief as once again, his Intellectual Prowess proved equal to the task.

"It's all right…" Shakey murmured, patting Natsumi's back for emphasis, "It's all right…  Everything's fine now…"

Over the next several minutes, Natsumi slowly regained her composure.  When she had regained enough to realise the position she & Shakey were in, she pulled away from him in girlish embarrassment.

"…thank you Mr Atari," Natsumi's red face whispered, "…i'm better now…"

"That's okay," Shakey replied, his own boyish embarrassment prompting him to continue, "But I don't deserve all the thanks…  You should thank…"

Shakey suddenly stopped as he realised that he didn't know to refer to the disguised Clones in front of Natsumi.  'Should I refer to them as Chairoko & Kuroko?  Or should I try & pass them off as Real Maids that just look like them?  Ah…  What should I do?'

While Shakey pondered, Natsumi shivered & she hugged the blanket around herself, her voice low as she whispered, "…I suppose… I should be thankful to them…"

Shakey heard Natsumi's words & hit on a brilliant strategy, 'I know!  I'll get the Clones out here & follow THEIR lead as to how I should refer to them!'

Shakey tilted his head towards the kitchen & called out, "Could I please have some drinks & munchies out here?  For two I mean?"

From the kitchen the two Clones came carrying trays.  The dark-haired Kuroko carried a pair of cups & a water jug on her tray, while the brown-haired Chairoko had a selection of cut sandwiches & various 'nibblies' in plates on hers.  The coffee table made an impromptu self-serve buffet, & the two Clones stood silently off to one side, awaiting further requests.

"Thanks Ladies," Shakey said with a smile, "Um…  Have you been introduced yet?  If not, now's a good time to do it…"

Shakey's smile faltered as he looked at the faces of the three girls in the room with him.  The Clones had their usual neutral expressions, while Natsumi's face seemed to be stuck somewhere between a forced smile & a nervous tic.

"Please excuse him, Natsumi" the two Clones chorused, "He is on medication, & both it & his injuries are affecting him."

Natsumi nodded warily, "No problem…  Kuroko…  Chairoko…"

Shakey smiled in relief, his Master Plan was working perfectly!

'Great!' Shakey enthused inwardly, 'All those times I've fallen foul of Mazurka's schemes must have helped develop my own Inner Machiavelli…'

"But," Natsumi breathed as she stared intently at the Clones through narrowed eyes, "There's one thing I have to know…"

'Uh-oh!?' Shakey's elated mood deflated explosively, 'She's gonna ask how they could be in two places at once…  Ah…  Um…  I'll let the Clones handle this one!'

"How come…" Natsumi paused to swallow & collect herself, "How come the Police are letting you two walk around free… after you killed people like that?"

Shakey sat in Mazurka's lounge room in stunned disbelief, not comprehending the accusations Natsumi had just levelled at his most trusted friends.

'Nih-Natsumi!" Shakey exclaimed, "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Perhaps you don't remember," Natsumi's eyes never left the pair of quiet Clones, "But the reason you're here now, is because of them…  Because of what they did to the gang who attacked you!"

"…th-they saved me…" Shakey repeated what he'd been told, his voice faltering as an unspoken doubt reminded him that he didn't know HOW they'd saved him.

"Yeah…" Natsumi agreed, "They saved you…  But only by 'taking out' the others!"

Shakey's world started breaking up around him, 'But… that CAN'T be!  Rave was never a violent person, much less a killer!  The Clones are all… HER… and…'

The touch of hands rested lightly on Shakey's shoulders as the two disguised Clones reached out to him.

"Shakey?" the Clones murmured, "We did what we had to…  To save you…"

"…no…" Shakey put his hands to his face, his head shaking slowly in denial.

"Had to?" Natsumi exclaimed in disbelief, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna miss any of those creeps, but you could have used more… shall we say, 'restraint'?"

'…Natsumi?' Shakey had a horrifying realisation, '…she was there with Kuroko & Chairoko when I was attacked!  She saw what happened to me!  She saw what… they…'

'…they… killed people…' Shakey's distraught mind was no longer aware of the room he was in let alone the presence of others, just certain select memories that he hadn't paid much attention to…

Shakey waking up in Hospital after having been attacked by the thugs, & hearing  Kuroko#6 say, "We neutralised your assailants…"

'…I didn't understand what she meant…'

Kuroko#6 instructing Shakey on how to win at Computerised Combat games, "When confronting Multiple Attackers, it is best not to try & take them all on at once, but to arrange things so that you can take them on one at a time.  Even if that means retreating & luring them into disorder, or using one-off strikes… …until the cumulative effects of such one-off strikes incapacitates them."

'When she asked me to show her how to use the game console, I was surprised at how good she was, especially since she said she'd never used that game console, or played that particular game…'

Kuroko#6 saying "I have had relevant training with other… simulation systems…"

'…I thought she meant computer games…  But… like Aesir… Rave was already a trained AVE Pilot when we first met…  She knew how to Pilot AVE… how to fight…'

Kuroko#6 telling Shakey that the Commander had taken steps to ensure that such attacks against Shakey would NOT happen again, "He called a 'pre-emptive suppressive action'…  Squads of Rave Clones fought all of the various gangs…"

'…oh… …God…' Shakey felt sick as the reality soaked in, 'Rave… My Rave said… she wouldn't let me die… she would protect me…  She died saving me!  The other Rave said, they would protect me…  Twelve nearly died saving me…  K-Kuroko & Chairoko… they… they killed… to save me!  Di-did the others… kill… as well?'

"The Commander thought we performed adequately," the Clones said in response to one of Natsumi's comments.

'My father?' Shakey's mind snapped back into semi-awareness of the others at the mention of his estranged parent, 'HE'S the one who ordered the 'pre-emptive strike'!  HE'S the one who MADE Rave fight…  The one who made Rave a… a killer!'

"The Commander?" Natsumi asked in surprise, "The one who interrogated me over what happened?  The bearded man with the tinted glasses & white gloves?"

"That… B-----D!" Shakey growled.

"Oh?" Natsumi seemed taken aback at Shakey's response, "Have you met him too?"

"He's my Father!" Shakey ground out.

Natsumi stared at Shakey in surprise.

**********************************************************************

The END of Book 11 of 'Altered Lives'

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Initial Concept.

"Field Spike!" the technician shouted, "It's…  Huh?" he blinked in astonishment, checking what monitors still functioned, "Sorry Sir…  It's gone…"

"Well?" Glando asked eagerly, "What area of her brain controls the effect?"

"…ah… well…" the technician flustered…

"Out with it!" Glando demanded, "Tell me!"

"…th-the one…" the nervous Technician stuttered, "…that handles… 'sexuality'…"

Glando blinked.  "I knew they liked Shakey," he muttered, "But I had no idea they liked him THAT much…"

"Well," Glando decided, "There's only ONE thing I can do now…  **IF** I want the Clones to develop their powers…"

Later…

"You wanted to see me Father?" Shakey asked.

"Yes," Glando confirmed, "I think it's time I had a talk with you about the Birds & the Bees…"

"HUH?" Shakey exclaimed, showing his disbelief that Glando could act towards his son in so thoughtful & Fatherly a fashion…

"I have no objection to your… 'consorting'… with the Rave Clones," Glando stated euphemistically, "Here's a gross (144) of condoms…  'Play safely' now…"

Once again, Shakey's low opinion of his Father was proved correct…

"Buh-bih-but…" Shakey stammered, as a sudden Tidal Wave of emotional insecurity, culture shock, teenage angst, & 'relationship dilemmas' rolled over him…

THUNK!  Shakey hit the floor with a meaty thud, as he fainted dead away.

"Shakey?" Glando asked.

"TYPICAL!" said an irate Mazurka, who by merest Plot Contrivance, just HAPPENED to walk in on the scene…

"What?" Glando was more than a little surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"My Woman's Intuition told me I should be here," Mazurka smugly advised, hiding a stolen copy of the script for the 'Initial Concept' OMAKE behind her back.

"Listen," Mazurka advised the Fan Fiction Writer, "If you ever tell a MALE CHAUVINIST PIG like Glando here, that a woman is using the area of her brain that controls 'sexuality'…  He'll immediately think she 'wants some'…"

"But…" Glando protested, while the Fan Fiction Writer wisely stayed silent…

"Tell me, EINSTEIN," Mazurka sneered scornfully at Glando, "What part of the brain controls the MATERNAL INSTINCT?  You have heard that term, haven't you?  That facet of Female psychology inextricably linked to HUMAN REPRODUCTION?"

"…err…" said Glando, getting NO HELP WHATSOEVER, from the Fan Fiction Writer…

"Give Me Strength!" Mazurka pleaded towards the Heavens, "So #12 used 'that' area of her brain when she saved Shakey?  So What?  'Maternal Instinct' often enables mothers to perform superhuman acts when their child is in danger…"

Mazurka suddenly paused, then looked nervously at the unconscious Shakey.  Seeing he was 'out of it', she proceeded in an angry, albeit subdued roar, "I mean, WHY do you think Unit Won went berserk all those times defending Shakey?  It's SO obvious to anyone who thinks with their BRAIN!  Since it absorbed your wife's MIND, it quite naturally thinks of Shakey, as a Mother does her Child!"

Glando sat at his desk, looking rather embarrassed…

However, Mazurka wasn't yet finished, "And since the Rave Clones have subliminal memories from all the times 'Rave' has piloted Unit Won…  Why SHOULDN'T they think about Shakey, & treat him, in a Maternally Instinctive, CARING way?"

Mazurka shook her head sadly, "Didn't you ever wonder WHY Rave first started to 'watch over' Shakey when he was in Hospital?"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Sales Pitch.

Glando Atari sat at his desk, contemplating his latest visitor…

Before his desk stood a blue-Haired Rave Clone, a disturbed look on her face.

"But Sir?" the puzzled Clone asked, "How is it possible?  How could any of us produce an E.T. Field like an AVE does?  I mean, we don't even have a socket for the power cord?"

Glando leaned his head into his hands & wept, knowing that once again, the Fan Fiction Writer had it in for him…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Getting Technical & Visual Aids.

Later, in the changing room, one of the Clones looked at herself in a mirror, as she remembered what the Clones had recently experienced…

- - - - - - - - - -

"Uniform curvature is not impossible, but due to the way space-time is affected by gravity… any Field LARGE enough to be observed, WILL be affected by local gravity fluctuations, especially if it's inside the gravity well of a planet…  Now the actual amount may be almost negligible, but it WILL be there…"

The Clones paid rapt attention as the instructor then proceeded to show them a series of 'morphs' using the cone models.  She first turned the cones into a series of basic shapes such as cylinders, disks, & spheres, before showing how combinations of 'morphs' could create some truly bizarre curved shapes.

- - - - - - - - - -

"I wonder…" the Clone murmured to herself, before looking furtively around, to make sure no-one else was in the room with her.

"Expanding E.T. Field!" the Clone said, her face contorting with concentration as she brought the Field into existence, & mentally wrestled it into shape.

"Hmmm…" the Clone critically appraised the contoured Field she had created, "Bullet proof, flexible, gravity has almost negligible effect on it, & I can make it any size I want…"

"Looks like I won't be needing that 'Wonder Bra' after all…" the Clone happily concluded, as she walked out into the training hall.

"Now…" the Clone muttered, "To see if it gives as much comfortable support as a sports bra does…"

Whereupon the Clone put her new… err… 'wardrobe accessory' through a VERY thorough 'Gymnastics' test…

The Fan Fiction Writer hopes this settles once & for all, the reason why the 'physical dimensions' of the First Pilot seemed to… 'vary'… so much in the Official illustrations from the show…

And you thought it was just the Snug Suits?  Ha!

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Practice Makes Perfect #1.

Glando pointed at the window & murmured one word, "Observe…"

In a large hanger-like room below the observation window, a dozen concrete blocks stood Stonehenge-like in a 20-foot wide broken circle.  The ten foot high monoliths towered up from four foot thick bases, dwarfing the single Clone who stood in their midst.

The Clone stood quietly with eyes closed, her hands held before her as she crouched slightly in a basic Martial Arts defence pose.

Suddenly the Clone screamed & fell to her knees!  A hemi-spherical shockwave began to roll outwards from her, smashing everything in its path.

"S--T!" Glando screamed as he ran for dear life, "She's gone into 'Akira' mode…"

NOTE!  'Akira', is an Anime about a psychic, whose power is so great, he can destroy a City, using a hemi-spherical psychic shockwave…  A mental A-Bomb…

As the slogan went, "Akira…  He leaves nothing to rebuild…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Practice Makes Perfect #2.

"…what… else… did you use…?" Fu2ok croaked, struggling to reconcile the work done by NERVIS, with the 'training material' Glando was giving the Clones.

"Ranma 1/2, Akira…" Glando rattled off a LONG list of Anime that dealt with Psionics & Martial Arts, as well as several movies, "…The Matrix, Star Wars…"

Glando smiled, "And if anyone asks, they're only learning popular culture…"

"So," Fu2ok tried to joke about it, "…you taught them how to use the Force…"

"Monkey see, Monkey do," Glando shrugged, referring to ANOTHER series he'd used…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Changing Course #1.

"Aesir, you WUSS!" Toe-jam sneered scornfully, "You 'Pump Iron' like a GIRL!  Put some 'woost' in it, ya WOMAN!" (NOTE! woost = wurst, a type of spicy sausage popular in Europe…)

Aesir's reply was untranslatable, not just because it used 'Euro-Slang', but because the overly polite Japanese didn't have equivalents to the terms used…

However, that didn't stop Aesir from 'communicating effectively' with Toe-jam…

A short time later in the Casualty Ward of the Hospital, a Doctor stared incredulously at the X-Rays of his latest patient…

"GOOD LORD!" the Doctor choked, "I can understand how a dumbbell handle could get rammed up there…  But while it had weights attached to it?"

"She used lubrication…" Toe-jam groaned in Mortal Agony from where he lay facedown on the examining table, half a dumbbell protruding from between his buttocks…

"Lubrication?"

"Yeah," Toe-jam's face was a mask of pain, "Mentholated Muscle Liniment…"

And the Moral of the OMAKE?  Never P--S OFF a weightlifter…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Changing Course #2.

"Take it easy," Toe-jam grudgingly offered, "Ya get up too fast after exercise, & you'll probably fall over…  Anyway, there's no rush…  Mazurka's over there…"

Toe-jam swung his weight-laden arm to indicate a worried looking Mazurka, who was currently talking to Aesir's Trainer.

Unfortunately, Toe-jam forgot that since he was missing an arm, he didn't have a weight in his other hand to counterbalance his movement…

Toe-jam crashed off balance to the floor, muttering a string of obscenities…

"CUT!" yelled the Fan Fiction Writer, wondering if he should rewrite the scene.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Changing Course #3.

"Aesir, you WUSS!" Toe-jam sneered scornfully, "You 'Pump Iron' like a GIRL!  Put some 'woost' in it, ya WOMAN!" (NOTE! woost = wurst, a type of spicy sausage popular in Europe…)

Elsewhere, some of the Rave Clones were finishing her own workout.

"This weight does not feel right," said one Clone, indicating a heavily laden barbell on the floor, "It does not seem to be as heavy as it should be…"

A second Rave Clone picked up the suspect barbell one handed, & began to do a series of standing, single arm bicep exercises with it.

"I see what you mean," said the second Clone, "It does feel lighter than it should.  Is it the new Carbon fibre handle?  They are lighter than metal ones?"

"Perhaps," the first Clone agreed, "I know it does not feel like 200 kilos…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Confirmation?

The soft voice made Aesir jump with sudden alarm.  She spun around, finally noticing that she wasn't alone in the changing room.

Standing nearby, dressed in her usual white Snug Suit, was Rave Imanonymous.

Aesir gaped, as she realised that Rave seemed to have 'gained a few pounds', in (as Male Chauvinist Pigs would say) 'ALL the right places'…

"How'd you get so 'top heavy'?" Aesir wanted to know.

"I'm a growing girl, & I'm not anorexic…" Rave replied, deciding not to say anything about her new & improved, 'cross your heart' conforming E.T. Field…

"You're vegetarian, aren't you?" Aesir said suspiciously.

"Yes I am," answered Rave, "What of it?"

"Figures," Aesir sniffed, "Cows are vegetarians, & they've got udders too…"

Vicious Catfight followed…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Palliative Care #1

In the kitchen, another girl in a Maid's outfit, but with brown hair to Kuroko's black locks, was crushing Mazurka's empty beer cans for the recycling bin.

With her bare hands…

"Wow," Shakey exclaimed in admiration, smiling as Chairoko 'scrunched' can after can without any apparent effort on her part, "Even Mazurka can't do that…"

"That's nothing," Chairoko said, before showing how she could crush the beer cans by placing them in the crook of her elbow & flexing her biceps muscle…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Palliative Care #2

'I do not understand?' Kuroko thought, 'It is only a Tactical Simulation…  It has not harmed him physically?'

Perhaps that is the reason sent Chairoko, who was sorting out the laundry His results with the Combat Simulator have reminded him of recent events?

Or of earlier injuries he received due to lack of proper training? observed a Clone from a hidden firing range.

The memory of a scared boy agreeing to pilot without having had any training flickered through the Group Mind of the Clones.  As did the memories of the injuries the boy had continued to receive in battle, even after training.

Let's face it the Group Mind concluded The clumsy B-----D needs all the practice he can get…

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Making The Grade.

"Tactics," Kuroko advised, "When confronting Multiple Attackers, it is best not to try & take them all on at once, but to arrange things so that you can take them on one at a time."

Shakey was puzzled, "But you didn't do that?"

Kuroko shrugged, "Hey, I'm good enough to break their A--Es first go…"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Comparisons #1.

Having finished the first book, Chairoko picked up another & began to read…

Some time later, Chairoko sat with a puzzled expression on her face.

'This book is unlike the first…  The first book was a decently written narrative exploring the Psycho-emotional interactions of two people thrown together in mutual ordeal…  The second book, barely has enough plot to set the scenes for the mindless porking that the protagonists indulge in at the drop of a hat…'

Chairoko looked at the large pile of 'Romance Novels' on the floor beside her.

"Thank God I don't have to do book reports on this drivel…" Chairoko's 'Internal Critic' decided.

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Comparisons #2

"Oh Great!" Shakey moaned at his bad luck, the soapsuds on his face preventing him from opening his eyes & finding the lost soap.  He groped blindly…

"Huh???" Shakey's hand closed around something, "That doesn't feel like a bar of soap?"

"Oooh, Shakey!," a familiar female voice giggled, "Didn't we already do this cliché in the fifth TV episode?"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Comparisons #3

"Oh Great!" Shakey moaned at his bad luck, the soapsuds on his face preventing him from opening his eyes & finding the lost soap.  He groped blindly…

"Here…" the quietly spoken word was accompanied by the feeling of a soft hand taking his, while a familiar slippery oblong shape was pressed into it.

"R-RaVe??" Shakey squeaked, his blush escaping the confines of his face & spreading over his entire body, "Is that YOU?"

"Yes," confirmed the Rave Clone.

"OH THANK GOD!!" Shakey wailed, "For a moment there I thought you were Aesir!"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Morning Glory

'Great!' Mazurka began stressing out as the reality hit her, 'I get the usual 'Everything A Teenage Girl Should Know' books, INCLUDING up-to-date ones dealing with AIDS, VD, contraceptives, Underage Pregnancies & **ALL** the rest of it…  And they read my 'Adults Only' romance novels before seeing ANY of it!!'

"We have some questions about the books we have read…" Chairoko said.

Mazurka sighed again as she remembered agreeing to answer questions about the 'reference material' the Clones had offered to read.

'Better get this over & done with now,' Mazurka decided, as she lifted her head to looked at the pile of books on the table.

'At least,' Mazurka started grabbing at straws in an attempt to see a bright side, 'They've only had them since last night…'

Chairoko produced a thick notepad & asked, "Question #1…  In 'The Story of O', what were the underlying causative factors for O's submissive nature?"

**********************************************************************

OMAKE - Filling In The Blanks

'My father?' Shakey's mind snapped back into semi-awareness of the others at the mention of his estranged parent, 'HE'S the one who ordered the 'pre-emptive strike'!  HE'S the one who MADE Rave fight…  The one who made Rave a… a killer!'

"The Commander?" Natsumi asked in surprise, ""The one who interrogated me over what happened?  The Nazi Beatnik with the Rose-Coloured Glasses & the White Glove Fixation?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -The END of the OMAKE- - - - - - - - - - - - -


	13. 12 Revelations

======================================================================

Altered Lives (The Parody)

Book 12 "Revelations"

Time - Late 2016 when Shakey is 15 years old (TV episode 23 to Movies)

======================================================================

Copyright Info and Disclaimer.

"Neon Genesis Evangelion" is Copyright (c) 2003 by Gainax.  All OTHER material is Copyright (c) 2003 their owners.  All materials used for PARODY purposes.

"Altered Lives (The Parody)" is Copyright (c) 2003 by DBM.  This work is an Amateur, Non-Commercial work by an Anime/Manga Fan.  This work was created in the Spirit of the Copyright Exemptions regarding Parodies and Satire.

If you like my work, you may keep a copy for your own personal records, but you may NOT post it on any websites/newsgroups, NOR may you include it in any printed publication for sale/public distribution.  If printing out a copy for yourself or a friend, you may reformat it (paragraph spacing, page-breaks, font and font size, borders, bold/italic, etc) to fit the paper you use, but please do not change any of the actual words or wording in the document.

Sole web-posting at FanFiction.Net - Author's E-Mail address on File.

======================================================================

Censorship Info and Disclaimer.

NOT Recommended for Children.

Intended for MATURE Audiences.

There are NO 'sex scenes', but, just like the original NGE series, the story will explore the results and side effects of such activities.  Along the way, there'll be swearing, violence, drugs, Adult situations, and frank discussions of sex education/family planning information, as well as thoughts and opinions on the morals and ethics of sexual assault, dating, courtship, marriage, alternate sexualities, pregnancy, childbirth, parenthood, Family Values, etc.

======================================================================

Fandom Alerts and Disclaimer.

AU Alert (Alternate Universe).

OOC Alert (Out Of Character).

ACC Alert (Author Created Character).

SI Alert (Self Insert - Author appears in the story as a character).

SPOILER Alert (May 'spoil' surprises in the Manga and Anime TV/Movies).

' ' denotes thoughts.

" " denotes speech.

* * denotes emphasis, or electronic communication.

denotes other method of communication.

--- denotes letters deleted for censorship reasons.

======================================================================

Chapter - Personal History.

In Mazurka's apartment, Natsumi Iwakawa sat on a couch and stared in shock at Shakey Atari's unexpected revelation.  Two disguised Clones dressed in Maid's outfits stood nearby, silently listening in.

"…y-your… Father?" a wide-eyed Natsumi gasped aloud.

Shakey didn't say anything, but his facial expression, let alone the body language of the half shrug of his shoulders spoke volumes.

"…ah…" Natsumi suddenly looked very nervous.

"…sometimes I wish he weren't…" Shakey muttered darkly, his mind dredging up all the 'Quality-Time' Father-Son Male Bonding sessions they'd had over the years…

…all of which could be counted on one hand…

"…i think… i'd better be going…" Natsumi slid off the couch.  With eyes downcast, she started for the door.

"Wait!" Shakey suddenly rose from the couch, his hand reaching out to Natsumi, "Please don't go!  Me and my Father, we… we aren't really family…  I mean, he is my Father, but we… kind of split up some years ago…"

Natsumi stopped in her tracks, her back to Shakey.

"I hadn't seen or spoken to him in years…" Shakey rabbited on, "…I was living with relatives, and then he suddenly sends for me…  But even then it…"

Shakey's comments suddenly cut off, the boy painfully aware that, 'I can't tell Natsumi that my Father only wanted me as an AVE Pilot!'

"…we weren't anymore of a family than we were…" Shakey finished lamely.

"…i see…" Natsumi's words were an enlightened whisper, "…he wanted you here, but he doesn't treat you as family…"

Shakey was about to confirm Natsumi's opinion when the girl did something that surprised him…

"…I understand…" Natsumi turned around, a trembling smile on her face and tears in her eyes.  "My… Father…" Natsumi choked on the word, "Didn't treat me or my mother as Family either…"

"Huh?" Shakey was mystified, not least because, 'What's she talking about?  She said her parents died soon after she was born?  Is she talking about her Foster-Parents?'

"I know what that's like…" Natsumi muttered, "…to be Family in name only…"

Shakey kept quiet, aware that despite the unique situation he was in with his Father, too many other people came from dysfunctional families as well.

Natsumi slowly walked back to the couch and sat down, her gaze firmly on the floor.  A shiver ran through her, then she quietly asked, "What has he told you about me?"

"Uh…" Shakey blinked, then shrugged the question off as he sat down, "Nothing…  As I said, we don't talk much…  I hardly ever see him, and even then, it's only when I'm work-"

Shakey bit his tongue, realising he'd almost said more than he intended to. 

"Work?" Natsumi glanced at Shakey, "You mean when you Pilot AVE?"

Shakey stared at Natsumi in shock, his slack-jawed expression prompting a true smile from the girl sitting on the couch.

"Oh, Mr Atari!" Natsumi almost giggled, "You think I didn't know?  Everyone in school knows that you're an AVE Pilot!"

"Ev-Everyone?" Shakey was NOT feeling happy with himself, especially not as he remembered how he'd blabbed the secret out on his first day in school…

"And Rave, and Ms Skrewyou," Natsumi confirmed, "The school chat rooms are full of people talking about the three of you…"

"…full of?" Shakey squeaked in dismay.

"Uh-Huh!" Natsumi confirmed with some merriment.  Her expression suddenly fell, "That's why… when I saw Rave looking for me at the school gates…"

Natsumi paused, then continued in a subdued voice, "…I was concerned that people would start talking about me and my life, as much as they do about you…"

Shakey was lost, he couldn't make any sense out of what Natsumi was saying.

"Mr Atari?" Natsumi timidly asked, "I know there's been rumours about you and Rave in the chat rooms…" Natsumi shivered, her arms folding around her thin body in a self-hug, "…well… …you may hear some rumours about me…"

"Don't worry about that!" Shakey commiserated, "I've heard too many unfounded rumours about me and Rave to believe everything I hear anymore…"

"Mr Atari…" Natsumi's voice dropped to a whisper, "…you and Rave have been nice to me…  Kuroko and Chairoko too…  if… if your father hasn't told you… about me…  …may i tell you the truth about me…?  that way you'll know for sure, no matter what anyone else says…"

"Sure," Shakey agreed, "Truth's the only thing that can stop rumours…"

"We will listen, if you wish to talk," the two Clones said in unison.

"…if I tell the truth…" Natsumi hesitantly asked, "…will you keep it a secret?"

"No worries," Shakey confirmed.

"We will not tell," the Clones added their voices.

"…thank you…" Natsumi sniffled, "…you see…  my Father… killed my Grand-Mother…  he would have killed me and my Mother as well… but… we escaped…"

Shakey swallowed hard, Natsumi's words showing him the painful reason behind the pleasant lie of Natsumi's parents dying in an Earthquake…

"…my Aunt isn't really my Aunt…" Natsumi continued, "…she's my Mother…"

Shakey nodded dumbly, accepting the subterfuge.

Many of those who escaped from domestic violence often adopted some sort of disguise, even if only changing their names.  Blessed anonymity gave survivors a better chance at starting a new life, mainly by keeping them safe from the wrath of those they'd escaped from.  The ruse of a Mother assuming an extra layer of disguise as an Aunt was understandable, especially if there was good reason to be paranoid… 

"…she's also my sister…" Natsumi finished, her eyes on the carpet…

======================================================================

Chapter - Inside Job.

Mazurka dropped Kantsee, 'Rave', 'Chairoko' and 'Kuroko' off at school, well before the start of classes.

"Thank YOU Major Kutsarug!" Kantsee exclaimed gratefully, smitten by both Militaristic Idol Worship, and his teenage hormones.

"Not a Problem!" Mazurka smiled at Kantsee, then drove off with a wave.

"What a woman!" Kantsee sighed, before heading off to class…

…And getting an unusual surprise…

Despite being the only ones in the classroom, Rave, Kuroko and Chairoko went straight to their desks and powered up their computer terminals.  Within seconds of the machines booting up, the girls were rapidly scanning through the school computer network, their fingers quickly typing in data strings and go-to commands.

Kantsee watched the strange goings on, then sat down at his desk and booted his own terminal up.

"What the…?" one of Kantsee's anti-hacker programs let him know that someone was trying to access his private files.  His eyes widened in panic at the realisation that the cyber-invader was scanning through his customised firewalls, as if they were glass covers on public notice boards…

"Oh NO!" wailed Kantsee, as several 'pin-up' images he kept in a private file for paying customers were ruthlessly accessed.

"Do not worry," Rave's voice was unexpected, "They are not what we are after…"

"What YOU'RE after?" Kantsee nearly screamed as several of his 'special' and thus 'encrypted' pin-up images suddenly unencrypted themselves on-screen.

"Nor those," added Kuroko, raising an eyebrow as the images disappeared.

"…ah… ah…" Kantsee looked on in horrified fascination as the rest of the data files hidden on his school computer were rapidly laid bare.

When the invasive access stopped, Kantsee found the courage to peek over the shoulder of one of the Twins.  His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the girl's computer screen was displaying several data windows, some of which appeared to be in raw machine code. 

Rave sat back and watched her screen, using speed-reading techniques to quickly capture and relay the visual data to the Group Mind for detailed analysis.

That the amount of material being leeched from the school chat rooms, e-mail repositories, and student data caches was more than a normal person could be expected to quickly assimilate, was something that didn't bother the 137 members of the Clones' Group Mind…  Their individual minds, acting in concert with one another like parallel processors in a computer, were fully capable of handling the data stream that 'Rave' was 'channelling' to them.

Elsewhere in the classroom, Kuroko and Chairoko continued to route data to Rave's terminal, their 'Hacking' of the School computer system meeting zero resistance…

======================================================================

Chapter - Cooking up a Storm.

In Mazurka's apartment, Shakey Atari sat on a couch and stared in shock at Natsumi Iwakawa's unexpected revelation.  Two disguised Clones dressed in Maid outfits stood nearby, silently appraising Natsumi's comment…

"We do not understand," the Clones chorused, "How can the woman you call your Aunt, be both your Sister and your Mother?"

Natsumi closed her eyes, her lips locked in a narrow line, "My Father… was my Grandma's third husband…  Grandma's second husband, my mom's father, died in a car accident, leaving Grandma with a young daughter to look after…  When my Father came along, Grandma was only too happy to have his support as a Husband…  When my mother was barely in her teens… well, neither Grandma nor my Mother ever gave me details about 'that' part of the story…  But when my Mother found out she was pregnant to her own Father, 'Father' wouldn't let her get an abortion…"

"What do you mean?" Kuroko was somewhat suspicious of Natsumi's comment, "He wouldn't let your mother get an abortion?"

"Mom was still at school," Natsumi shrugged, "And since she was under the age of eighteen, she had to have both of her parents' signatures to get a legal abortion in that particular state of the USA…"

"If she was under the age of eighteen," Chairoko pointed out, "Could she not have had the Authorities intervene?"

Natsumi stared long and hard at Chairoko, "If she'd done that…  He would have killed her and Grandma…"

"But the Police could have given her protection-" Kuroko started.

"Protection?" Natsumi's interruption dismissed the notion immediately, "Yeah… Right!  As if!  The cops were too busy dealing with drugs and gang fights to worry about some stupid little slut that got herself knocked up…"

"You should not talk about your Mother like that…" Chairoko remonstrated.

"I ain't," Natsumi protested, "Their words, not mine…  You think we could have gotten 'protection'?  Dream on!  The US of A cared SO MUCH for it's womenfolk back then, that it still allowed men to forcibly rape their wives, and treated any rape victim like a lying slut if she dared speak up.  'Protection' for my mother would have been detention in Juvenile Hall until she gave birth!  Huh!  SOME Protection!  'Juvie' was supposed to be a place of rehabilitation, but it was just another form of Prison, farmed out to the lowest bidding Entrepreneur…" 

Many have asked 'Why' people stay with abusive partners.  While the reasons for this are many and varied, they usually boil down to a lack of acceptable options, created by an uncaring society's attitude to the poor and weak…

For instance, many victims didn't know how relationships could or should be.  They had no way of assessing their situation and finding out what was wrong, let alone getting access to the resources to fix it up…

Many victims flat-out refused to see reality, or could not accept that things were as bad as they were, especially if it meant upsetting the cosy little world they thought they had…

Then there were the victims with false expectations, those that believed that if only they were loving enough, caring enough, submissive enough, then they could cure the 'wayward half'…

Some poor souls believed that things could never get better, no matter what was done…  They often believed no-one else cared, a feeling reinforced by what they saw in the world around them…

…And then there was the frequently used argument of "If you leave me, I'll kill you and the kids…" one that made ANY victim think twice, especially if they were totally dependent on the threat-maker…

…And if there was no 'safe' way of leaving, let alone a 'safe' place to go to…

"You were not born in Japan…" Chairoko stated her question as a fact, "Yet you have a Japanese name."

"As the song goes, I was 'Born in the USA'…" Natsumi sadly confirmed, "My 'Father' was the sort of man who didn't stay in one place too long, so my earliest memories are of moving house.  A lot.  After the family was broken up, me and my mom kept on moving, we just moved faster and stayed for less time in the one place…  We also started changing our names regularly as well…"

"How old is your mother?" Kuroko asked, trying to reconcile Natsumi's story with the apparent age of Hatsuko Iwakawa.

"A lot younger than she looks…" Natsumi admitted, "We've lived rough ever since the family broke up eight years ago, and things have taken a real toll on her…  We only arrived in Japan about five years ago, after travelling through the USA, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and some of the Aleutian Islands…"

Natsumi suddenly stared at the Clones, "Tell me, how old do I look to you?"

The Clones stared back for several long moments, then shook their heads and replied with, "We are unsure.  You are in a lower grade, and you are shorter than we are…  It is reasonable to assume that you are years younger than we are…"

"I'm sixteen…" Natsumi replied dryly, "…by a couple of months…  Although as far as the school records are concerned, I'm three years younger…"

"You're older than I am?" Shakey was amazed.

Natsumi smiled, batting her eyelashes at Shakey as she teasingly asked, "Why Mr Atari!  Don't tell me you like Older Women?"

Shakey was taken aback at the comment, "No!  Ah… I mean…"

Natsumi didn't let Shakey finish his incoherent reply, "The reason I'm so short, is because we HAVE been living rough.  Not enough food to grow up 'Big and Strong' as the School Nurse would say…  Stunted growth is one of the side benefits of Malnutrition, as well as delaying puberty and keeping my boobs small…"  

Shakey blushed.

"By rights," there was anger in Natsumi's face, "I should be taller than anyone else in school, and have larger breasts than anyone else, teachers included!  At least, if my Mother and Grandmother are anything to go by!"

Shakey's blush got worse…

"Still…" Natsumi's anger abated, "We've got a real home now, regular income, and plenty of decent food on the table…  I should start having some 'growth spurts' real soon now…  Unless… my lack of growth IS some sort of 'inbreeding' thing…"

"Um…" Shakey mumbled as he stood up, "…I'll just… in the kitchen…"

An embarrassed Shakey stumbled off to the relative safety of Mazurka's kitchen, leaving the three girls alone by the couch…

Shakey clattered around in Mazurka's kitchen, trying to settle himself by the time-honoured Manly technique of getting 'Hands-On' with inanimate objects.  That he was also creating a meal in the process, rather than 'fine-tuning' a car engine, probably intimated something better left unsaid about his 'Machismo'…

'…oh man…' despite the soothing therapy derived from using sharp-edged metal implements on defenceless vegetables, Shakey's mind was still stuck in a loop of denial.  Natsumi's confession of how her Family Tree 'didn't branch' was not something he felt up to handling.

…Let alone Natsumi's forthright manner in telling her story…

"…fluent in English and Japanese, and I can also get by in Spanish and French!" Natsumi was regaling the curious Clones with stories of her life on the run, tossing in a few anecdotes and bits and pieces of what she'd learned.

"Is that why you told no-one about the Senior's Gang?" Chairoko asked, "You were afraid that any official investigation would reveal who you really were?"

"Partly…" Natsumi shivered, "…I just… have this thing… about people bigger than me taking control of my life, pushing me around…  They…" she sighed, "…they reminded me too much of my Father…  Their actions… and their threats…"

"Um?" Shakey's brilliant conversation stopper came from the vicinity of the kitchen, "If… If anyone's hungry…?"  He gestured towards the kitchen.

Once again, Shakey's Culinary Skills had created a tasty treat.  Mindful of how the Rave Clones were vegetarian, Shakey had made savoury omelettes, with cream cheese, garlic, chives, tomatoes, and onions.  Served with fresh lettuce leaves and chopped cucumbers, they were both a tasty snack, and a nutritious meal.

"…oh…" Natsumi suddenly seemed every bit the child she was supposed to be.

"Please," Shakey waved towards the dining table self-consciously, "I was feeling hungry, and since it's rude to eat in front of guests, I…"

"…thank you…" Natsumi accepted Shakey's offer with good grace.

Chairoko and Kuroko helped the others to their seats, then served up Shakey's impromptu brunch.  Conversation during the meal was practically non-existent, with everyone dealing with things in their own way.  Shakey was still in denial, the Clones had already assimilated the data without any problems, and Natsumi…

…Natsumi didn't look very happy with things…

When the meal was over, the reason for Natsumi's attitude became known…

"Thank You for the meal," Natsumi said quietly, "I'm sorry for having been such a burden…"

"…ah…" Shakey was his usual eloquent self.

"…I won't be in future," Natsumi promised sadly as she started for the door, "…you needn't worry about me being… you know… 'intrusive' in your lives anymore…"

"Were you being intrusive?" Chairoko asked.

Natsumi stopped and looked back at the others, "…but… if I hang around with you… and others find out about me…"

"We will not tell anyone," Kuroko repeated their earlier promise.

"And if we hear of any rumours," Chairoko added, "We will inform those responsible that their information is… incorrect…"

"I never heard you say anything…" Shakey decided that selective amnesia was the better part of being a 'Sensitive New Age Guy'.

"Will we see you after school?" Kuroko asked, "I believe that Rave will not feel your story to be a 'burden' either?"

Natsumi nodded, a smile on her face and happy tears in her eyes…

======================================================================

Chapter - Getting Results.

In her office somewhere in the NERVIS Base, Mazurka was NOT having a good day…

On arriving for work, Mazurka had found a nondescript e-mail waiting for her.  From her co-worker and sometimes co-conspirator Moccona Hoover, it merely stated "Unable to make Lunch meeting - see me to reschedule…"

Within minutes, Mazurka and Moccona were having a deadly serious 'coffee break' in an isolated corner of one of the staff lounge rooms…

"What's wrong?" Mazurka was worried, "Couldn't your contact come through?"

"Oh they came through all right," Moccona said from behind his coffee cup, "It's just that they couldn't make sense of what you gave them…"

"What do you mean?"

"Where did you get that capsule from?"

"That's not important at this stage," Mazurka dismissed the question, "What do you mean, they couldn't make sense of what I gave them?"

Moccona sighed, "That's just it Major!  They couldn't make sense of the contents of that capsule!  What they could analyse was strange enough, but there was too much that they couldn't even touch…"

"What did they find?"

Moccona shrugged, "Mega doses of a range of vitamins and minerals…  And large doses of Female Hormones…"

"Female Hormones?"

"That's what they said," Moccona took another swig, "And not the ones you'd normally find in the 'Pill' either!  The report said they appeared to be modified from 'Phyto-Estrogens', vegetable based versions of Animal hormones…"

"Could…" Mazurka chewed her lip thoughtfully, "Could they be used to interrupt a person's normal menstrual cycle?"

"Ah…" Moccona was taken aback, "I… don't know about that…  I could make some enquiries, but…"

"Please do!" Mazurka ordered.

"…but…" Moccona continued, "There's no way of knowing what effect they'd have on a person, in conjunction with the other things in that capsule…"

"What do you mean?"

Moccona sighed, "It's what I was trying to tell you, my contacts weren't able to analyse all of what was in that capsule…"

'…weren't able…?' Mazurka had a sudden sense of déjà vu, remembering when Ritzy had tried to analyse one of the Alien Invaders, and of Ritzy's own inability in determining exactly what the Aliens were made out of…

"Major?" Moccona was looking at Mazurka with some concern.

"Huh?" Mazurka realised her mind had wandered, "Oh, sorry…  Just spaced out for a bit… you were saying they weren't able to do some of the tests?"

Moccona looked slightly hurt, "No, I'm saying they did do all of the tests, it's just they couldn't analyse what was in that capsule…"

Mazurka felt a sudden chill…

"Major?" Moccona looked worried, "Where did you get that capsule?"

Mazurka didn't reply.  She didn't know how to tell Moccona that the capsule had come from a Rave Clone's bottle of 'prescription medicine'…

======================================================================

Chapter - The Searchers.

Three Rave Clones sat in the school classroom, methodically sifting through the data stored on the School computer network.

Kantsee sat at his desk, feverishly deleting all of the files he now knew had been 'compromised'…

'If Rave and the Twins could hack my systems like that,' Kantsee rationalised, 'Then there's no telling what a trained Government Operative could do…'

Kantsee's paranoia would have turned to hysteria had he known the real truth…

In the years before Mazurka had become the Clones' Guardian, the Clone living the role of Rave Imanonymous had done so under the jurisdiction of Glando Atari.  That Glando had been in any way capable of acting as Guardian to the Clone, had been made possible by how he delegated certain parts of Rave's upbringing to other people…

…Usually the very few people Glando trusted enough to give such a job to, let alone be capable of actually doing an acceptable job of helping raise Rave…

…People like the Polymath Computer Genius, Doctor Ritzy Akatlover…

Ritzy had been the source of much of Rave's early education, with Rave spending many hours in her company.  That Rave's time was usually spent with Rave quietly reading a book while Ritzy toiled nearby, was probably partly responsible for Ritzy finding Rave reading a complex computer manual one day…

Ritzy's surprise had turned to astonishment, and then delight as Rave began asking questions about computers that proved the child knew more than she could possibly be expected to know at such a tender age…

Like her mother Nayokay, Ritzy had been a 'child prodigy', an intelligence whose early blooming had led to a divergent social upbringing to those around her.  With the discovery of Rave's own abilities, Ritzy had started an impromptu training curriculum for the child.  One that often saw 'hands-on' experience with some of the most advanced computing systems in existence…

Put simply…  The School computer systems were NOTHING compared to what Rave had 'dabbled in', deep in the NERVIS Base with the Chief Computer Programmer…

One of the Twins finished her keystrokes, and was rewarded with the appearance of a new window on her screen.

Uplink established…

Web browser on line…

Accessing Google Japan Search Engine…

Disengaging Adult Filter…

Having completed their pillaging of the data held on the School's computers, the Clones now moved further afield…

======================================================================

Chapter - Dated Advice?

Deep in the bowels of the NERVIS Base, Major Mazurka Kutsarug valiantly toiled on, heroically performing that most odious of her Official duties…  'Paperwork'…

After her not-so-satisfactory meeting with Moccona Hoover, Mazurka had tried to figure out what course of action to take next.

'If Moccona's contacts couldn't come through, I'll need to speak with someone more 'in the know'…  Since Ritzy's out of the picture, that leaves Mayi…'

Mazurka's plans weren't helped by the 'In-Box from Below Hell', a wire tray bent flat beneath the weight of the various reports and folders that overflowed its confines into large untidy stacks on Mazurka's desk.

'I've left it this long,' Mazurka wearily decided on viewing her workload, 'I can't leave it any longer…  My talk with Mayi will have to wait'.

Resigning herself to the inevitable, Mazurka got stuck into the waiting work…

An unknown Eon later, a knock sounded at the door to Mazurka's too-small office. 

"Mazurka?" asked Rave#3, on her way to her underground restroom from an all-nighter at the Test Facility, "May we speak with you?"

Mazurka sighed, ANY distraction from her current workload was MORE than welcome.

"Sure," agreed Mazurka, 'I need a break, this will do for an excuse…'

The Clone entered, and sat on Mazurka's visitors chair, almost hidden from Mazurka's sight by the stack of paperwork…

"On Second Thoughts…" decided Mazurka, "Perhaps we should get out of this stuffy office and get some fresh air…"  

With that, the two left Mazurka's office, swapping it for the more spacious confines of the nearest Canteen/Lounge area.

"You want a drink?" Mazurka asked, going over to the nearest drink dispenser.

"No," replied the Clone, watching as Mazurka got herself two coffees.

They sat in a corner of the room, away from the thoroughfare.

"Now," Mazurka said as she sipped her coffee, "What's up?"

The Clone paused before starting, "Mazurka, you have taught us many things.  Not least of which, have been your lessons in Human relationships…  That is what we wish to talk to you about now…  We… would like to know more about… Dating…"

Mazurka smiled, 'Oh-HO!' she thought, 'Looks like the Clones are 'growing up'…'

"Well now," drawled Mazurka, "You're certainly 'old enough' to start dating…  Any ideas of boys you might like to go out with?  Hmmm?"

The Clone lowered her gaze and blushed.

Mazurka couldn't help grinning, 'Even bet it's Shakey…'

"It's Shakey, isn't it?" Mazurka prompted, watching for any reaction.

"…yes…" the Clone's cheeks went a deeper pink.

"Okay then," murmured Mazurka, "If you're going to go on a date with someone, you need to sort a few things out first…"

The Clone looked expectantly at Mazurka.

"First!" said Mazurka, going into 'Lecture Mode', "You need to know something about the other person in question.  It's important to 'check out' ANY potential dating partner, to make sure they're a 'nice' sort of person, and not some creep…"

"Shakey is not a creep," responded the Clone.

"I know that!" confirmed Mazurka, "But if I'm going to teach you about dating, I'd better do a proper job of it, and make sure you know what sort of people you should, and shouldn't date!  For example, does he smoke or drink to excess?"

The Clone sweat dropped as she remembered how much Mazurka drank…

Mazurka droned on unawares, "Does he do drugs?  If so, that's a BIG strike against him!  Is he a compulsive Gambler?  Have a 'bad' reputation?  Is he known to be dishonest, disrespectful, vain, arrogant, violent, or a bully…"

"No, none of those," replied the Clone.

"Well then," continued Mazurka, "Does he have a 'good' reputation?  For example, is he Polite?  Honest?  Helpful?  Hard working?  Respectful of others?  Does he keep himself Neat and Tidy?"

"Yes," the Clone replied, while the Group Mind concurred that Shakey is all of those things…

"Good!" smiled Mazurka, "I can't stress how important it is, not to waste time dating the 'wrong' sort of man…  You'll only get grief and trouble if you do…  As the old saying goes, 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'…"

"Second Point!" Mazurka took a swig of coffee, "You need to work out what you WANT from the Date in question…  Is it just for the sake of going out and having fun?  Say at an Amusement park?  Is it just to be with someone you like?  Or, when you get older, to find out if you can have a viable 'Relationship' with them?  Such as Marriage?"

The Clone stayed quiet, although her blush deepened.

"Third!" added Mazurka, "You need to work out an itinerary, a set of plans of what you're going to do on the date…  Where are you going?  What will you do?  For example, you might go out, take in a movie, then have a meal at restaurant.  Or Vice Versa.  In any case, you'll need to research the background details, such as transport, what movies are available, how long they run, whether you'll need a reservation at the restaurant, all of the costs involved, to name a few…"

"Which brings us to Four!" Mazurka paused to drain her first Coffee dry, "When you go out on a date, the idea is to have a good time, to do things you both like.  And that means, BOTH of you!  What are the other person's interests?"

"…we… do not know, that we know that…" the Clone admitted.

"All right then, what do you know that he likes doing?"

The Clone paused, "We know he likes Malted Milks… helping others… listening to music on his SDAT player… cooking… cleaning… laundry…"

Mazurka interrupted the Clone's recital by splurting coffee out of her nose.

"Mazurka?" asked the Clone as Mazurka choked and coughed, "Are you all right?"

"Hmmm, yes," hacked Mazurka, "What makes you think he likes… cleaning… laundry?"

"He does so much of it at your apartment," replied the Clone, "Why would he do so much if he did not enjoy doing it?"

"Ahhh… well…" Mazurka suddenly had a vision of Rave and Shakey on a date…  

Shakey was in a tuxedo, Rave was in a formal gown…  Both of them were sitting in a Laundromat watching laundry go round and round in a washing machine, sipping Malted Milks from Champagne glasses while sharing Shakey's SDAT player…

It was almost too much for Mazurka's mind to take…

"Mazurka?" asked the Clone in worried tones, noting Mazurka's pale green complexion, and 'spaced-out' expression, "Are you sure you are all right?"

"I'm… fine…" groaned Mazurka, leaning forward to rest her head on the table.

The Clone watched Mazurka intently, from experience, the Clones knew that Humans sometimes said that just before they fell over…

"Rave?" Mazurka gave in to the inevitable, "I think it best if I help you arrange your first few dates…  Just until you get the hang of it…"

"Please," agreed the Clone, "We would prefer that."

"Well then," smiled Mazurka, "We may as well start by working on Point Four to start with…"

"Yes!  What does Shakey like?"

"Mazurka frowned, "To tell the truth, I'm not too sure of that myself…  But!" Mazurka smiled slyly, "I know how to find out!"

"Rave dear," Mazurka's smile grew into a grin, "You Girls are to have 'Cultural Integration and Assimilation' training…  And guess which Nice Young Man will be helping out?"

The Clones smiled…

======================================================================

Chapter - Playing Doctor.

Mazurka stood before a lab door, somewhere in the NERVIS Base.  Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Come in," the answering voice was muffled by the door.

Mazurka opened the door and entered the room.  Pausing to shut and lock the door behind her, Mazurka turned to the sole occupant of the lab.

…Mayi Buttin…

"Morning Mayi," Mazurka said with forced nonchalance, "I need to have a chat… about the… recent Pilot Candidates you've been examining… and Rave…"

Mayi tensed, but she still answered cheerily, "Sure, What do you need to know?"

"Their prescriptions…"

Mayi relaxed visibly, "Oh THEM!  Don't the girls have enough?"

"No," Mazurka said curtly, "I want to know what's in them…"

"Sorry," Mayi shrugged casually, "But I don't know what's in them…"

"Oh Really?"

Mayi looked uneasy, "No I don't…  I just know that they all need the same prescription that Rave does…  And that I have to allow for certain things in their test res-" she bit the end of her comment off, a sure sign that she'd just said something she shouldn't have.

"What sort of things?" the mildness of Mazurka's voice didn't match the intensity of the stare she was directing at Mayi.

"…ah… well…" Mayi fidgeted.

"Mayi," Mazurka sighed, "I've been appointed their Guardian.  That means I have a NEED to know if there's any thing wrong with them, and…" she broke off as she saw that Mayi was visibly upset.

"…I…" Mayi closed her mouth and swallowed hard, her body trembling, "…I think there's some things you should know…"

"About the Pills?" Mazurka pressed.

"…no…"

"What then?"

Mayi didn't reply, she just keyed in some data on her computer terminal.  On the screens around her, various medical scans came up, mostly of the x-ray and ultrasound variety.

"…see for yourself…" Mayi gestured weakly at a particular screen.

"Mazurka turned her untrained eye on the image shown…

Done in black, white and various shades of grey, the image was labelled as being a scan of someone's lower abdomen.  Rib bones, spine and pelvic girdle stood out in white and bright greys, with more subtle shadings marking the location of intestines and internal organs.

"What am I looking for?" Mazurka demanded, unable to see Mayi's point.

"Sorry!" Mayi laughed nervously, her hands keying in another request…

The image on the screen changed, reducing in size as another image appeared alongside it.  Looking almost exactly identical, the biggest difference in the new image was the addition of several faint clouds just above the middle of the hipbone.

"And…?" Mazurka was no more enlightened than before…

"…the first scan is that of Rave…" Mayi's words had strange undertones to them, "…the second scan is that of a normal woman…"

Mazurka frowned, her eyes comparing the images, but not recognising anything of significance…

"This is a similar scan of #005," Mayi replaced Rave's scan with another, "…and this is #006's… #007's… #008's…" Mayi's voice cracked as she began bringing up scan after scan in quick succession.

"Hold on," Mazurka protested, "I don't see what you're getting at…"

"THIS!" Mayi's voice broke as she stabbed a finger at the scan of a normal woman, "It's different to the others, can't you SEE that!"

"Mayi," Mazurka sighed irritably, "I'm NOT a Medical technician!  What exactly are you trying to show me?"

"The candidates are ALL like Rave…" Mayi slowly ground out, her voice edging on hysteria, "None of them… have wombs…"

======================================================================

Chapter - Class Act.

In the School room, the ageing Sensei (Teacher) was droning on again, enthusing his students with more gripping yarns of the world before Second Strike…

That most of the students were ignoring the lecture was nothing new.  Nor was that fact that many of them were using their terminals to send e-mails and chat with their friends in Cyberspace, rather than take notes.  

…Or in the case of three particular students, conduct their own research…

Kantsee stretched in his seat, using the movement to take a quick glance at what was appearing on one of the Musume Twins' monitors.

'HUH?' Kantsee blinked and took a second look, 'Birth Defects?  Why would they be looking THAT up?'  A quick turn of his head to see the other Twin's screen didn't help much either, 'Need for Genetic Counselling in Consanguineous- ?'

"Is everything all right, Mr Hayeater?" the Sensei suddenly asked, shocking Kantsee back to Reality.

"Uh…" Kantsee thought quickly, "Sorry Sir!  Cramp!"

"Do you need to see the School Nurse?"

"Uh…  No sir!" Kantsee answered honestly, before sitting down in a hurry.

*That time of the month?* some Smart-A**E sent to Kantsee's terminal.

Kantsee ignored the jibe, but not the next e-mail…

*Are you unwell?* this one came from Rave Imanonymous.

Kantsee blinked, 'What?  Rave NEVER sends people e-mails?'  He paused for all of two seconds before sending a reply, *I am fine, thank you…*

There was a subtle change in the classroom as three pairs of hands stopped clicking keys.  Three feminine heads turned to look at Kantsee momentarily, before two turned back to their monitors, their respective hands resuming their caress of the keyboards.

Kantsee turned slightly pink as he noticed that Rave was looking intently at him.  After a significant pause, she turned back to her own terminal.

'What are they doing?' Kantsee asked himself, trying to see what was on the girls' screens without attracting the attention of the teacher.

Failing to satisfy his curiosity, Kantsee hesitantly sent Rave a message, *What exactly are you doing?  Those don't look like school web pages?*

*Research…* came the reply, *…on the Toudai (Tokyo University) section of the Department of Education WAN (Wide Area Network) that our school is part of…*

Kantsee's eyes widened as he realised what that meant…

*You're accessing the COLLEGE Intranets?*

*Yes*

Kantsee sat back in his seat, his mind awhirl at the prospect, 'First they hack my files, and now they're surfing the College Intranets??  No Way!  Those sites aren't accessible from here!?  Unless… they found some way of connecting their terminals to the Net via the local server?  But how?  Regardless of what server authorisation they had, the clunky heap of junk couldn't spare the processing capability unless a System Administrator reallocated- !! ???'

Kantsee's head turned slowly, looking in suspicious awe at Rave and the Twins.

======================================================================

Chapter - Facts of Life.

"What… What the H--L are you saying?" Mazurka gasped in horror.

"…just…" Mayi had seemed on the verge of tears, her sentence ended as her voice choked off into a sob.

'None of them have wombs?' Mazurka turned away from the distraught technician, her mind tumbling Mayi's last coherent words over and over, 'None of them have wombs…  None of them…  Good God!  No wonder they don't menstruate…'

"…knew about Rave…" Mayi sniffled, "…but…"

"How…" Mazurka asked tonelessly, "How did you 'know' Rave was… like this?"

"…physical tests…" Mayi confirmed, "…i…  Doctor Akatlover… said…"

Mazurka's ears went back at the mention of Ritzy's involvement.

"…Rave was…" Mayi's voice grew thick with emotion, "…special case…"

'I'll just bet she did!' Mazurka thought sourly, memories of the Doppelganger Lab returning to haunt her.

"…the pills…" Mayi tried to get her voice back under control, "…are Hormone replacement therapy…  That's why Rave has a… a… 'figure'… instead of… none…"

"And the rest?" Mazurka demanded, thinking of the mysterious contents of the capsule…

"I don't KNOW!" Mayi wailed, "When it was just Rave, I… I could accept what I was told…  But now…?  With ALL of Them?!"

"The capsules…" Mazurka tried again, "Do you know what's in them?"

Mayi's voice failed on her reply, so she shook her head instead, adding a broken "…no… not really…"

"Who would?" Mazurka quietly asked.

Mayi shrugged half-heartedly, "…Doctor Akatlover might…"

'Looks like I'll have to get a Second Opinion…' Mazurka scowled at the prospect.  She forced her face into a semblance of a friendly smile and said softly, "Hey, Mayi?  Don't be upset…  It's not your fault…"

Mayi nodded, wiping her eyes…

"What exactly did Ritzy say was the cause of Rave's… condition?" Mazurka gently enquired, "Did she tell you how Rave came to be… that way…?"

"…no…" Mayi said in a subdued voice, "Doctor Akatlover never gave me a reason…"

"You know they're all Clones, don't you?"  The older woman's comment caused Mayi to stare wide-eyed at Mazurka.

Mazurka's smile was not quite as forced, "Since they've all got the same DNA, they all look alike…  Their… condition… is probably some kind of genetic thing…"

Mayi shook her head, "I have trouble believing that Major.  If a genetic flaw resulted in the total removal of the Uterus and Fallopian tubes, then it should have affected the rest of their Birth Canal as well…"

"Birth Canal?" the term was lost on Mazurka.

"You know?" Mayi prompted, "Their Coital Sheath?  The dilatable membranous canal that stretches from the Cervix of the Uterus to the Labia Minora?"

"Um…?" Mazurka sweat-dropped.

Mayi blinked, then the ghost of smile appeared on her face, "Their Vaginas…"

Mazurka coughed discretely, "Well… I… wouldn't know about that…"

Mayi blushed, but seemed to relax, "Well I do…  I should, given how many times I've done their internal exams…  Instead of ending in the familiar orifice of the 'os uteri externum', there's just a continuous wall of membranous tissue, they don't even have the anterior and posterior cul de sacs of the-"

"Please use plain words!" Mazurka felt a headache coming on, "I've already said that I'm NOT a Medical technician…"

"Their… equipment…" Mayi tried her best, "…isn't shaped like ours is at the entrance to the Womb…  They have… blind tunnels… walls of smooth tissue where there should be an opening…"

Unfortunately for Mazurka, having things explained in non-technical terms didn't help her handle the situation any better…

======================================================================

Chapter - Interruption.

We see… the Group Mind of the Clones found enlightenment in the information fed to it by Rave and the Twins.

Natsumi feared her lack of physical development was due to 'inbreeding'…  But her Mother and Father were only related by marriage, not by 'blood'…  There is only a 2 to 5 per cent chance of Birth Defects caused by genetic flaws…

Unless… the Group Mind realised they might not have enough information to make any determinations… Natsumi's Father was related to either the Father or Mother of Natsumi's Mother?

The Group Mind pondered the possible implications, If Natsumi's Father was a First Cousin to Natsumi's Mother or Father, there would be the same potential rate of Birth Defects.  But… if Natsumi's Father was the brother of the Father of Natsumi's Mother…  The chance of Birth Defects from the union of Uncle and Niece would rise to 10 per cent…  If the men in question were Identical Twins, having the exact same DNA pattern, then the chance of Birth Defects would rise to 30 to 50 per cent…  The same as for a mating between Sire and Offspring…

Perhaps we should ask Natsumi for more infor-

A mobile phone suddenly rang in the school classroom, interrupting the work of the Clones there.

…Mostly because the phone ringing, belonged to 'Rave'…

"Yes?" 'Rave' answered the phone with swift precision.

"Rave?" the familiar voice of Major Mazurka Kutsarug asked.

"Yes."

"I… need to see you…" Mazurka said guardedly.

"Where?"

"My 'downstairs' office…" Mazurka used the code word that referred to her usual Office down in the depths of the subterranean NERVIS Base, rather than 'ground floor' the term designating her makeshift office on the Loading Dock level of the armoured building known as the Clone Zone.

"When?"

"As soon as possible…"

"Confirmed…  I am on my way…" Rave hung up.  She turned off her terminal and gathered her things, then walked up to the Sensei.

"Gomen Nasai, Sensei," (I Am Very Sorry, Teacher) Rave added a polite bow, "I have been informed that I must be elsewhere…"

The ageing Sensei nodded and motioned toward the door.

The Sensei had long ago gotten used to Rave's erratic attendance in his classes, an acceptance helped by a 'little chat' he'd had with the School Principle while in the presence of some thugs from a Government Agency…

The memory still made the Sensei shiver…  Especially the memory of how one bearded thug had coldly looked at him, like he were a bug under a microscope…

A smile creased an aged face, 'At least the Girl is properly polite and respectful about things…'

Rave made efficient haste to Mazurka's office.  On her arrival, she found the door open, and Mazurka sitting at her desk staring at a computer terminal.

"I am here," Rave announced, walking over to the desk.

"Can you explain this?" Mazurka didn't raise her head, she just pointed at the terminal screen.

Moving around the desk, Rave looked at the screen before her…

The screen had several data windows open on it, one of which showed the face of Doctor Ritzy Akatlover.  Another window had the title bar of 'Staff Location Query' on it, and was overlaid with a Security pop-up stating "Access Denied".

On the security pop-up was a box for authorisation codes, and surprisingly, a very helpful drop-down list of what High-ranking staff could authorise the request.  The list contained only three names, and not surprisingly, the top two were Glando Atari and his Advisor Fu2ok.  What was surprising, was the third name…

…Rave Imanonymous…

======================================================================

Chapter - Right of Way.

"Since when do you have higher clearance than myself?" Mazurka asked her visitor.

"I…" Rave had no answer, apart from the honest, "I… do not know…"

"Why don't we test it and see?" Mazurka rolled her chair back and waved a hand towards the terminal, "It's got a print scanner on the side…"

"That may not work," Rave pointed out, "They do not specify which of us is designated as 'Rave'.  I am #36, they may mean #3…"

"Try it and see…" Mazurka urged.

"Our fingerprints…" Rave#36 faltered, "We may have the same DNA pattern, but our fingerprints are not identical…"

"They aren't?" Mazurka looked surprised.

"No…  DNA may determine an initial pattern type for each finger, but the actual development of the patterns is distorted by the normal unpredictability of cell growth.  It is also affected by usage, wear and tear, injury and healing…"

"Oh…" Mazurka looked crestfallen.

"Unless…" the Clone held out a possibility, "They have all of our biometric data on file…  Since I am acting as Rave today, perhaps my personal biometric data has been designated as being that of 'Rave' for security purposes?"

Mazurka chewed that over, then ordered, "Do it!  We won't know otherwise, and if that IS the case, it's not a bad thing to know!"

Rave Clone#36 obediently put her finger on the scanner, and entered the only personal access code the Clones had.  The one for 'Rave'…

The terminal showed the 'working icon' for longer than was comfortable given the circumstances, then an 'Access Granted' pop-up appeared along with a new window and the information Mazurka wanted.

"Bingo!" crowed Mazurka, "Looks like you were right, it IS set up for your personal data!"

Mazurka paused, a thoughtful look on her face, 'Which means…  That since Rave's the one authorising the request, I may need her with me…  In case there are any… challenges to my being authorised to be there…'

Mazurka wrote a quick note, then logged out of her terminal.  Standing up she turned to Rave and said, "Sorry, but I'm going to have to take up some more of your time…  Please come with me…"

"Is there a problem?" Rave was justly confused over the unexpected turn of events.  Especially the unusual prospect of her having authority just below that of the two most powerful people on the Base…

"Not… exactly," Mazurka wasn't sure how to put it, "It's just…  Being your Guardian, there's things I need to know, and Ritzy's the only one I can ask…"

Mazurka turned the light in her office out as she left, leaving the empty room in darkness.

Elsewhere, the MOGGY Supercomputers discretely erased any reference to the events in Mazurka's office, substituting Glando's and Fu2ok's authorisation codes into the place that Rave's personal codes had occupied in the data stream…

======================================================================

Chapter - Second Opinion.

It was dark in the room…

The only illumination came from a single bulb, one of the many that clustered on the ceiling high overhead.

It was quiet in the room…

The only sounds were the sigh of the ventilation system, and the occasional muted noise that came through the thickness of the reinforced concrete walls.

The dim light gave a semblance of night in the room, taunting the room's sole occupant to try and escape the waking nightmare of their life through sleep…

Doctor Ritzy Akatlover slept fitfully on the rough fabrics of the prison cell cot, her surroundings, let alone her current situation, nowhere near relaxing enough to promote a truly restful sleep.

Since her incarceration, Ritzy had lived in a shadowy world of doubt and fear.  The regular but infrequent visits of Guards bringing food, had always had the unspoken implication that someday they would come for the last time…

Through it all, Ritzy had played the part of a brilliant mind broken by stress, a ruse that hid her scheming plans for revenge from all who saw her.

A sudden rumble as the armoured door to the cell began opening, and Ritzy was fully awake in an instant.  She forced herself to lie as still as she could, seemingly oblivious to the world around her…

…And to any escape opportunities a sloppy guard might accidentally give a sleeping prisoner…

"Ritzy…" the familiar voice of Major Mazurka Kutsarug surprised Ritzy into opening her eyes despite herself.  Her act spoiled, Ritzy made a show of waking up, stretching and yawning as she turned to face her unexpected visitor.

Ritzy blinked, partly from the bright light that streamed through the open doorway of the cell, and partly from the sight of two mismatched silhouettes that stood side by side in the open doorway, dark shadows that barred the promise of freedom that the glowing rectangle of the open door hinted at.

Mazurka got to the point, "I need answers…"

Ritzy wasn't paying attention.  As her eyes had adjusted to the light and the features of her visitors became apparent, Ritzy's attention was seized by a sight that froze her heart…

"…Rave…?" Ritzy breathed the word, fear washing over her, 'Why is SHE here?  Did Glando send his doll to execute his other puppet?'

"Ritzy!" Mazurka barked, snapping the blond-haired scientist back to her senses, "Will you answer me?"

"…sorry…" Ritzy mumbled, quickly covering with, "…thought I was dreaming…"

"Humph!" Mazurka eloquently snorted her opinion, "Well I ain't the Sugarplum Fairy, and this isn't the Land of Nod…  Now, if you're awake?  I've got some questions that need answers, and you seem to be the only one I can trust…"

"Trust!?" Ritzy laughed the idea to scorn, "You think I'd believe that?  Given the current situation?"

Mazurka sighed, "Would you believe I'd get a more truthful answer from Glando, given the current situation?"

"Touché…" Ritzy conceded the point, "Ask away, the Oracle is in…"

"To start with," Mazurka took a deep breath, then asked, "What's in the medicine pills the Clones take, and WHY?"

Ritzy smiled, "Dietary supplements…"

"Ritzy!" Mazurka snarled irritably, "I DON'T have time for this S**T!"

Ritzy waved a hand nonchalantly, silencing Mazurka, "It's not a lie…  They may not be normal supplements, but they're just the thing that a growing… girl… like Rave here needs to look her best…"

"I am #36…" the blue-haired Rave facsimile stated.

Ritzy blinked, but swiftly recovered her composure, "As to what's actually in them, it boils down to synthetic Female Sex Hormones, a regimen of conventional vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as… crystallised TLC… and some substances so exotic, even *I* don't know for sure what they are…"

In the gloom, Mazurka swallowed hard at Ritzy's words.

Ritzy shrugged lazily, "Sorry…  It's one of the things I've never been told about.  So I really can't tell you any more than that…"

"What about our colours?" the calm comment from the Rave Clone was as unexpected as the topic it changed the conversation to.

"Colours?" Ritzy blinked again at the sudden change of topic.

"We have blue hair and red irises," the Clone clarified, "While some people may achieve a similar appearance with dye and contact lenses, we have never met anyone else who had such colours naturally.  Are our bodily colours the product of Albinism?  Or Inbreeding?"

"Inbreeding?" Ritzy started laughing, "Oh, no…  They're NOT the product of any 'Inbreeding'…  Not by a long shot!"

Ritzy chuckled as she looked at the Clone standing quietly in the room, "No, they are… 'normal'… if unusual…  But since you mention colours, tell me, does your pale skin ever get sunburnt?"

Rave hesitated, then replied, "No.  We have no memories of ever having been sunburnt."

"What about a suntan?" Ritzy casually asked, "Got any 'tan lines' from when you wear your swimsuit at school?"

"No."

"Of course not…" a snide tone appeared in Ritzy's voice, "Suntan depends on the presence of the dark coloured pigment Melanin in the skin.  And you Clones don't have any…"

"But…" Mazurka was puzzled, "In that case, aren't they Albinos?"

"No," Ritzy stopped smiling, "They are NOT Albinos.  Albinos lack skin pigment, the Clones do not."

While Mazurka tried to work that out, the Clone responded with, "If we do not lack skin pigment, why are we so pale?"

A crooked smile appeared on Ritzy's face, "Because the pigment you DO have, is a light coloured one.  In practical effect, it performs the same function that white zinc cream does when applied to Human skin.  It blocks and reflects radiation away from the body beneath, instead of absorbing it as Melanin does…"

"So…" the Clone breathed.

"Why did you ask me that?" Ritzy seemed interested.

"We… are unlike other girls…" the Clone responded, "…We… were wondering…"

"You're unlike them in more ways than that," Ritzy muttered, the smile leaving her face, "Tell me, 'Rave'… have any of you started menstruating yet?"

"Doctor?" Mazurka stated in a warning tone of voice, suddenly uneasy at Ritzy's choice of topic.

"No," the Clone calmly replied, "None of us have yet started…"

"And you never will…" Ritzy seemed subdued, "Do you know why?"

"Never?" the Clone repeated in surprise, "Please explain?"

"Ah?" Mazurka looked uneasy, "Perhaps we should leave Sex Education until another time?  I mean, I-"

"You have Nothing to menstruate WITH!" Ritzy continued, riding roughshod over Mazurka's request, "You have No womb, no Fallopian tubes, no Ovaries!  The only reason you even LOOK like a girl your age SHOULD, is because of the hormones in the pills you've been taking!"

Rave blinked, Mazurka suddenly felt sick.

"So…" the Clone trembled slightly, "We could not bear his children…"

"WHAT?" Ritzy screeched, suddenly twisting around on her cot as if she was about to lunge at Rave.

"Doctor!" Mazurka snapped, her hand taking hold of the gun in her shoulder holster, "Calm down!"

"WHOSE CHILDREN!" Ritzy demanded, a strange look on her face.

"Shakey's…" the Clone replied, to the surprise of the other people in the cell.

"SHAKEY?" Ritzy stared wide-eyed at the Clone, "Y-you mean… you've… with HIM?!"

"Ahem!" Mazurka coughed, trying to salvage the situation, "The girls HAVEN'T  'done' anything with anyone…  But since Shakey is the only boy they know well enough, they're naturally interested in dating him and-"

"…you… you can't… 'date' him…" Ritzy said hollowly, sinking back on her cot.

"Why not?" Mazurka asked, "He's a nice enough young man, even if the potential Father-In-Law situation isn't that great…"

"Clones…" Ritzy's voice had a ragged edge to it, and her eyes had a glassy, far-away look to them,  "Do you know wha-… who the DNA donor was?"

"Ah, No?" Ritzy's words and attitude made Mazurka uneasy.

"The DNA…" Ritzy's voice cracked as she looked directly at the Clone, "…came from Shakey's mother…"

======================================================================

Chapter - Parentage or Percentage?

Mazurka stared long and hard at Ritzy…  The comments she had just heard echoing through her mind… '…their DNA came from Shakey's MOTHER!!??  Oh MY *GOD*!!'

"We are a Clone of Shakey's Mother?" The Rave Clone seemed unaffected.

"…no…" Ritzy breathed, looking away from the Clone, "…not… exactly…"

"Then we are not a Clone of Shakey's Mother?" the Clone persisted.

"…you…" Ritzy stopped, then laboured slowly on with, "…you are all Clones… of a Genetic Construct that… incorporates… her DNA…"

"…so…" Mazurka found that her trembling voice was low and weak, "…you're saying that they're… related?  To Shakey?"

Ritzy started laughing, putting her hands to her face as the chuckles became a demented cackle, "…related?" Ritzy laughed helplessly between words, tears streaming down her face, "…to SHAKEY?  …oh dear me… RELATED!?"

It took a few minutes for Ritzy to calm down, but when she did, it was to look at Rave in a not unkindly fashion…

"Genetics 101…" Ritzy murmured, "As it applies to normal Humans…  Point One… every person has two Parents, a Male and a Female…  Every normal person gets 50 per cent of their DNA from either parent, which means that some genes from a particular parent may or may not be included…  Point Two… the chance of passing a particular gene onto their offspring is reinforced if both parents have that particular gene…  Point Three… because of point two, reproduction between closely related people has a much greater chance of handing on defective or malignant genes, than reproduction between less closely related people…"

"3 to 5 precent for offspring between unrelated Humans…" Rave ventured.

Ritzy looked surprised, "You've looked it up?"

"Yes…" the Clone blushed slightly, "We were wondering about our appearance… it is different to other girls…"

"So…" Mazurka finally found her voice, "You're saying that… since they're Shakey's… sisters?  They shouldn't…"

"I never said that," Ritzy returned dryly, "And I'm not sure if that could even be seen as the case…"

"What do you mean?" Mazurka asked fearfully, "Are you saying that they're more like his… his Mother… or something?"

Ritzy sighed, "Mazurka?  You have GOT to stop reading those trashy Sci-Fi Fantasy books…  Even if the Clones had a 100 per cent DNA match with Shakey's mother, they wouldn't BE his mother!  At most, they'd be the same as 'Identical Twins'… That is, they'd be her 'sister', and thus Shakey's 'Aunt'…"

"Ah-Aunt?" Mazurka sweat-dropped…

"However!" Ritzy pointed out, "The Clones don't look like Shakey's mother did…  For starters, they have different hair and eye colour…  That alone indicates that they are NOT 'clones' of Shakey's mother!  If they were, they'd have the same colours, just as an 'Identical Twin' would…"

"The age difference?" the Clone asked in the silence that showed Mazurka was having troubles, "We are years younger than Shakey's mother?  Would we not be seen as her 'daughters'?"

"Irrelevant" Ritzy winced almost as soon as the word left her mouth, "Even Identical Twins can be born a few months apart if the pregnancy has problems.  And that's not even touching on the problem of embryos created at the same time via 'in vitro' fertilisation, but then frozen and born years apart…"

"If we are not her Clone," the Clone slowly said, "What are we then?"

"I don't really know…" Ritzy admitted, "I can theorize as much as I want, but until I get definite base data, I can't make any valid determination…"

"Wha-what would bee… base dah-ta?" Mazurka came back into the conversation.

Ritzy sighed, "Not easy to say…  Genetic Engineering is a lot like 3D modelling in some ways…  You can take bits and pieces of a thing, and turn them into something completely different to the original object…  But Genetics is far more complex, there isn't the same level of control over the base building blocks, especially not with the complex DNA code of an advanced life form like a Human Being…"

Mazurka leaned against a wall, grateful for the support of something concrete.

Ritzy looked at the Clone, "To find out what your relationship is to Shakey, you'd first have to have hard answers on a lot of questions.  While the source of your DNA is from his mother, that doesn't mean that it's still the same as hers.  DNA can be tweaked, the actual coding rearranged or even replaced with different versions of the same gene…  While 'Tweaked' DNA may produce something that looks the same as the original, it may have gotten to that state by very different means…"

Ritzy paused, searching for the right words, "In the story of 'The Three Little Pigs', three houses were built out of different materials, straw, sticks, and bricks respectively…  The resulting structures all had different strengths and weaknesses, regardless of whether or not they followed the same floor plan…"

"I'm sorry…" Ritzy looked embarrassed, "I didn't put that too well…  Perhaps a better analogy would be that of two musicians playing the same love song…  One plays it on electric instruments with a Rock 'n' Roll arrangement, the other plays it on a concert piano, with a slower, more romantic beat…  It's the same song, but performed in two very different ways…"

"What about our Mitochondria?" the Clone suddenly asked.

"Mitochondria?" Ritzy's look of surprise turned to a smile of pleasure, "You really HAVE been researching this, haven't you?"

The Clone merely nodded.

"Yes," Ritzy considered the question, "One of the few things that could prove you weren't 'related' to Shakey at all…"

"What?" Mazurka perked up, "What's this 'Mighty Kon' thingy?"

"Mitochondria," Ritzy enunciated the word clearly, "They're part of cells.  When discussing Genetic information, most people only worry about what's in the 23 pairs of Chromosomes in a Human cell, despite the Mitochondria having their own DNA and genes…"

Ritzy wore a strange smile as she suddenly looked at Mazurka, "If you want to prove the Clones AREN'T related to Shakey, get Mayi to do a simple Mitochondrial DNA test on the both of them…  Since Mitochondria are passed down from Mother to Child via the Mitochondria in the female OVA, if Rave's Mitochondria are in ANY way different to Shakey's, that's proof enough for ANY court in the land…"

Mazurka wasn't convinced, "But… what if… they're the same?  Won't that prove…"

"Absolutely nothing," Ritzy finished Mazurka's sentence with casual dismissiveness, "Worldwide, there are only several hundred different types of Mitochondrial DNA for all of Billions of Humans that share them…  If Shakey and Rave have the same Mitochondria, all it could possibly prove is that Rave is as 'Japanese' as Shakey and his mother are…"

Mazurka looked slightly relieved.

"Then again," Ritzy couldn't leave well enough alone, "Since Clones are often created through Enucleation of a donated Ova, a court might rule that the donor of the Ova was actually the 'mother', while the donor of the DNA in the 23 pairs of Chromosomes was the 'Father', regardless of the gender of the DNA donor…"

'?!?!?!' Mazurka was currently in Genealogical Hell, 'If Shakey's Mother is the Clones' Father, does that mean the Clones are Shakey's Brothers, and that Shakey's their Sister?'

A brief vision of the Rave Clones dressed in Boy's School uniforms (and looking suspiciously like Bishounen Hunk Male leads from a CLAMP Manga) floated through Mazurka's head.  As did an apparition of Shakey, one that looked EXTREMELY feminine in a Sailor Blouse School Uniform…

"OH MY GOD!!" wailed Mazurka, the vision of Shakey looking FAR TOO SIMILAR to what Shakey sometimes looked like when dressed in an Apron…  Let alone when Shakey was doing such 'Manly' things as Cooking, and taking care of cleaning Mazurka's Laundry…  Lacy Underwear and all…

Ritzy blinked at Mazurka's outburst, then carried on, "Since all of the issues concerning 'Parentage' in Genetic Engineering haven't been adequately addressed, the matter would probably come back to the actual percentage of UNALTERED DNA that came from the donor…  Or rather, the amount of unaltered DNA that came from the less than 2 per cent of the Human Genome that actually accounts for any visible difference between humans…"

"We see…" the Clone looked troubled.

Ritzy shrugged, "If it were up to me…  If you have a 100 per cent match, as most true clones would be, I'd see you as an 'Identical Twin' of the DNA donor.  If you had a match between 50 and 100 per cent, I'd see you as a 'Full Blood' Sibling, just like a 'normal' Brother or Sister…  If you had 25 to 50 percent…  That's where the problems would really start!  You could be seen as a 'Half-Blood' Sibling, Aunt, Uncle, Grandchild, or Grandparent, depending on the age difference with the other person…  If you had between 6.25 and 25 per cent, I'd say you were some sort of 'First' Cousin…"

"And if we had less than a 6.25 per cent match," the Rave Clone murmured, "We would be seen as having less DNA in common than a First Cousin…"

"Perhaps," Ritzy leaned back on her cot, "But it's all academic unless you have the hard data to back it up…  Even then, many wouldn't believe you…"

"…six point two five…" gurgled Mazurka, seriously wanting to believe things were not as they might be…

"How could we find out for certain?" the Clone's question ventured where Mazurka's mind was still too freaked out to go.

Ritzy wore a strange smile, "You and Shakey could have exhaustive DNA tests, then compare the results…  But as that method might not differentiate between original and modified DNA, you'd probably be better off asking the Commander…"

Ritzy's smile had grown, but her expression still didn't fully match the sweet tone of her voice, "I'm sure that if anyone knew, HE would…" 

======================================================================

Chapter - Playing the Piper…

It has been said that the mills of Fate grind exceedingly slow, but they grind exceedingly fine.  Regardless, it is usually the case that disaster strikes when least expected, and woe unto those who are unprepared.

Glando Atari was a man that many people thought was prepared for anything.  He always seemed in control, and his perpetual cool demeanour in high-pressure situations was legendary.

However, only being a mere Mortal, Glando's seeming omnipotence was as perfectly fallible as the imperfect tools he relied on.  The onset of the current crisis was something that Glando and his extensive intelligence network of spies and informants had been completely unaware of.

Glando sat at his desk, his hands steepled before him as he quietly appraised the latest problem to challenge him…

Rave Imanonymous Clone#36 stood before Glando in her school uniform, her unkempt blue hair framing a face that wore a slightly different expression than normal.

Not that the general population would note any difference in Clone#36 from what 'Rave' usually appeared as.  But to the enigmatic Glando Atari, Commander of the secret NERVIS Base and the man who had raised the Clones…

Rave's crimson eyes stared intently at Glando, her hands lightly clenched into loose fists at her sides.  Her breathing was slow and even, and flowed in and out from her lower abdomen.  Her body was tilted slightly, as if she were tense and carrying her body weight on the balls of her feet.  

…Just as she would be if she were expecting… trouble…

"You said you wanted to see me…" Glando stated rather than asked.

"Yes Sir…  We…" Rave's words stopped, and she lapsed into silence.

Glando's eyes narrowed slightly as a faint tremor passed through Rave.

"Sir…" the words were louder than Rave usually spoke, "…why were we not told… that Shakey is our relative?"

Glando slowly sat back in his chair, his hands casually resting on the arms of his chair, "What makes you think that Shakey is your relative?"

"We share DNA…" #36 replied quietly, "…from his mother…"

"Who told you that?" Glando asked in dangerously soft tones.

Rave didn't answer.

For the next few minutes, the two stared at each other in silence, as if testing each other's mettle and intent.

Glando was the first to break the staring match.

"So…" Glando muttered under his breath, "The blind men found the elephant…"

"Sir?"

Glando waved his hand dismissively, "An old story."

Glando leaned forward, twisting slightly as he propped one hand beneath his chin, his other hand slipping unobtrusively beneath his desk.  His face froze up into a non-expressive mask, "What makes you think I should answer your questions, when you won't answer mine?"

"Children have the right to know their cultural heritage," Clone#36 countered, "It is a fundamental part of the 2009 Revised U.N. Charter on Human Rights."

"And would you go to the U.N. if I didn't give you what you want?" Glando asked tonelessly, as he stared intently at the Clone's face.

"It is a possible course of action…"

Glando's expression didn't change, "And why is that?"

"Because you just gave the impression that you have the information."

"Did I?" Glando asked in neutral tones, "May I enquire when?"

"The terms you used, indicated the use of free will in non-disclosure of the information, rather than an inability to do so based on non-existence."

A grim smile spread over Glando's face, "Correct.  I do have that information.  I have had it for some time.  Can you think WHY I did not tell you?"

The Clone paused before replying, "Was our Security Clearance too low?"

Glando frowned, "Not… exactly…  Tell me, do you remember when I interrogated the other Clones?  Over how they handled those thugs that attacked Shakey?"

"Yes Sir," although Clone#36 was not involved, the Group Mind remembered.

"Do you remember how I challenged their comment, when they referred to Shakey AS 'Shakey', and NOT as 'Pilot Atari'?"

"Yes Sir."

"That is a clear example of WHY I never told you," Glando said in dry tones, "No matter how well a person may control themselves, little slips will happen.  The effect of that comment was negligible, as it could easily be explained away by the level of the social relationship they were involved in.  However…"

Glando stopped as he suddenly rose from his chair, his extra height making the Clone tilt her head to look up at him.

"This time," Glando snapped as he walked towards the Clone, "Your actions could have caused a disaster!  You came HERE because that information UPSET you!  Because that information affected your EMOTIONS, your subsequent ACTIONS have also been affected!  How else can you explain this meeting?"

"Sir!  We needed-" the Clone began.

"What you 'needed' is Irrelevant!" Glando roared as he stopped directly in front of the Clone, glaring down at her in disgust, "You reacted to events around you, in an emotional manner, without proper planning or even verification of the information you acted on!  I thought I trained you BETTER than this?"

The Clone lowered her gaze, rather than meet Glando's angry stare.

"None of us can afford to make mistakes!" Glando stated coldly, "If ANY of us do not perform our duties as we should, it MAY very well be fatal…"

Glando's voice dropped as a sour look of distaste spread across his face, "And if 'certain people' think you Clones are not performing as required, or are in any way deviating from their planned course, it WILL be fatal… to ALL of us!"

Silence fell as Glando paused to let that sink in.

"You now know things you were not supposed to know," Glando continued in a more controlled voice, "I assume you now wonder what ELSE I haven't told you?"

The Clone hesitated, then nodded, her eyes on the floor.

Glando sighed, "Rave…  I have good reason for not telling you these, and many other things.  Not just because it might affect your actions, but because…"

Glando reached out to the Clone, one hand going to her shoulder, the other to her chin, gently tilting it up so her face looked at his.

"…it would hurt your feelings," Glando said quietly, a softer look on his face.

The Clone blinked as the hand on her chin moved to caress the side of her face.

"Follow me," Glando ordered, his hands dropping away from the Clone as he stepped back and turned to stalk towards his private elevator, "Since you now know SOME parts of the truth, it's best you learn the full facts of the matter, instead of some well-informed rumours…"

"Where are we going Sir?"

"To visit the roots of your family tree…" Glando muttered.

======================================================================

Chapter - Descent into Truth.

The NERVIS Base sprawled beneath the earth's surface, a man-made ant's nest of corridors, storage rooms, and research facilities.

The many floor levels demanded widespread availability of vertical access systems, the better to ensure speedy transit between levels and prevent delays that could prove disastrous during times of crisis.  Accordingly, there were many large ramps and rail lines for the bulk delivery of goods and consumables, with stairs, escalators, and lifts serving the smaller needs of the Human personnel.

In an elevator somewhere in the technological labyrinth, two people were taking a long drop into the unknown heart of the NERVIS Base.

Rave Imanonymous Clone #36 stood silently in the elevator, her eyes directed at the elevator door in front of her.  Occasionally, her eyes would flicker over the floor level indicator, sometimes looking at her fellow passenger, the Commander of the NERVIS Base, Glando Atari.

Glando made no noise during the entire length of the trip, he just stood in the lift, a living statue that saw no need to speak.

…yet…

The elevator finally stopped, and Glando wordlessly stalked out, his actions prompting Rave to follow him.  A short distance away, Glando paused before armoured bulkheads to key in a pass code, the armoured doors slowly opening to reveal a second elevator.

In the elevator, Glando spoke for the first time since he'd left his office several minutes before, "Rave…  What you are about to see, may affect you emotionally…  It may also affect any of the Others you communicate with…  They should remove themselves from the Public Eye, until things have been… resolved…"

Clone#36 nodded, her mind sending a message to her sister Clones.

In the Testing Facility, a trio of Rave Clones acted in perfect synch, triggering their test units' manual override and self-aborting their tests, much to the surprise and concern of the Bridge crew on duty.  The Clone's comments of "Please refer all enquiries to Commander Atari…" did nothing to enlighten.

In the School, Chairoko and Kuroko Musume suddenly asked their teacher if they could go and see the School Nurse, as they were feeling… unwell…

In Mazurka's apartment, the Clones disguised as Maids, but acting as bodyguards, withdrew from Shakey's immediate presence.  Shakey's habit of 'zoning out' while listening to music on headphones helped them immensely.

The second elevator ride was almost as long as the first, but when it eventually came to a halt, the doors opened onto a short and narrow corridor that ended at more armoured bulkheads.

"On the other side of this…" Glando murmured, as he tapped a code on a keypad beside the door, "You'll see…"

The door hissed slowly open, revealing a darkened room beyond.  Glando turned the lights up, revealing the contents of the room to his companion…

The room was lined with workbenches and computer consoles, as well as various apparatus attached to electrical conduits and tubing.  The centre of the room was taken up with a large metal slab mounted on powered gimbals.  The slab was currently tilted away from the door, slowly swivelling and rocking from side to side as the hydraulics beneath it moved in near-silent precision.  The slab began to swivel and tilt towards the Lab door, revealing…

…Numerous pipes and sensor leads descended into a pale mass that swelled and thinned to a moist breathing sound.  Padded Kevlar straps secured the thing to the slab, making use of the abnormal number of deformed limbs that sprang randomly from it.  A thatch of blue fur marked one protrusion as a possible head…

"Sir?" the Clone asked in confused apprehension, "What… is that?"

"You are a Rave Clone," Glando said in a voice devoid of emotion, "Did you ever wonder what it was, that Rave was a Clone OF?"

The Clone nodded, her eyes not leaving the misshapen mass of flesh on the table.

"Number 36," Glando said quietly, "Meet your prototype…  Number Zero…"

======================================================================

Chapter - Family Reunion.

In a lab somewhere in the NERVIS Base, Glando stood quietly as he watched one of the Rave Clones come to grips with a secret from her past.

The Rave Clone walked over to the lump of living meat on the slab.  She stopped a few feet from it, and for long moments, did nothing but observe.  Then…

"Is this what we came from?" the Clone asked softly.

"Yes," Glando confirmed, "Zero was the prototype you were all cloned from."

"She… does not look like us…" the Clone stated the obvious.

"She had an accident," Glando replied, "Once, she was as normal as you are…"

"What…" The Clone asked with a tremble in both her voice and body, "…happened?"

Glando reached up to remove his glasses and rub his eyes before answering, "Early in her AVE research, my late wife created Zero as part of her research into how to allow a Human and an AVE to synchronise…"

"…created…" the one word from the Clone was a faint question.

Glando ignored the Clone's comment, "Zero was created after several attempts to make a Human Neural Net Emulator.  In her case, Biology succeeded where interactive cybernetics could not.  She became a standard control reference that was vital to the success of the early synchronisation tests, eventually allowing us to establish the parameters needed for successful synchronisation."

The Clone stood silently, her eyes never leaving the pale mass on the slab.

Glando continued his unexpected disclosure, "We began training Zero as a pilot, incorporating her into synchronisation attempts with Unit Won…  We linked her into the feedback loop via controlled access through a contamination filter…  The system was supposed to let her learn how to synchronise with an AVE, while under the watchful supervision of a more experienced Pilot…  Similar to how a 'dual control' car in a Driver's License School allows someone to learn how to drive, while ensuring a more experienced driver can take control if need be…"

"It was in one such test," Glando's tones soured as a scowl came over his face, "That Zero received the… injuries… that resulted in her current condition…"

"Your wife?" the Clone asked without looking at Glando.

"Yes," Glando ground out, "My wife…  Zero was linked into Unit Won during that test, and while my wife was lost… Zero… survived…"

Glando walked over to the shape on the table and reached out a hand to gently pat the blue-furred 'head'.  At Glando's touch, several slits opened in the head and neck of Zero's distorted mass, revealing the trademark red irises of the Rave Clones.  The moist breathing turning to cooing gurgles as Zero's 'face' turned towards Glando, the myriad eyelids half-drooping in evident mindless delight.

"Zero was only partially absorbed," Glando murmured, "We were able to retrieve her in a… physically survivable condition…  But… she had no mind…"

"We did our best to rebuild her…" Glando said quietly, a sad look on his face, "But as you can see, our best was… barely sufficient…"

Zero's visitors contemplated her in silence.

"…they could have been the same…" the whispered words trembled painfully into the air of the room, barely heard over Zero's primal comments.

Yes agreed the Group Mind of the Clones, thinking of two other cases of absorption, They could have…

======================================================================

Chapter - Second Generation.

"Power without control is dangerous," Glando continued to caress the happily cooing lump of meat on the slab, "Zero has no mind, so she has no concept of her own strength, nor of the damage that strength can do to others."

"Do not be misled by her appearance!" Glando warned the Clone beside him, "Despite her… condition… Zero's reflexes are as fast as yours, even if her body structure limits her ability to move.  Her strength may exceed your own, hence the need for restraints."

"Commander?" asked the Clone, "How… old… is Zero?"

"The age of Genetic Constructs such as Zero and yourselves is relative," Glando replied cryptically, "But, you were cloned from her when Zero was about five years of age, back before Second Strike…"

"So…" mused the Clone, "With time for creation and gestation of our blastomeres… and we are about fifteen now…  She is about… 21 Years of age?"

"Yes," agreed Glando, "She would be about that, IF she were a normal person…"

The Clone fell silent.

"Zero was to be the First…" Glando quietly reminisced, "…the forerunner of a squad of Clones trained to be pilots…  But… with the accident… she was no longer suitable for the memory download program…  All those years of training… wasted…"

"Soon after my wife… died…" Glando bit the word off, "…I took one of you Second Generation Clones from the tank…  I had already created the persona known as Rave Imanonymous, a guise you would use while training…  Soon after the first Clone was decanted, we began preparing you remaining Clones for your role…"

"But Zero is not the only founding member of your family tree," Glando muttered as he gave Zero one last affectionate caress.

Zero's comments, gurgled back into a breathy silence, the loss of physical contact with Glando immediately forgotten by the mindless meat.

Glando turned to the Rave Clone, "You know that you have DNA from Shakey's mother in you.  What else do you know about your… DNA?"

"It…" the Clone hesitated, "…is not exactly like hers…"

"Correct," Glando started to walk out of the room, "Come with me, and I'll show you another part of your 'Heritage'…"

The pair retraced their steps from the forbidding room, taking a different route after using the elevator that led to Zero's care centre.

…A route that gave the Clone an uneasy feeling…

"Sir?" Rave asked as they stopped before a pair of huge armoured doors.

Glando didn't respond, he just punched in the override sequence on the lock.

The armoured doors swung open slowly, allowing the Clone a clear view of a deformed white giant fixed to a red cross.

Glando walked into the massive room, stopping at the edge of a vast lake of TLC that dripped from the body of the crucified behemoth.

"Look at Little," Glando instructed, swinging one arm up to point at the white giant, "Look at her form…"

With faltering steps, the Clone came up beside Glando.

"Do you know the significance of what you see?" Glando asked, "No?  Let me tell you then…  The Alien Artefact we code named 'Little', is already Humanoid…  From the studies conducted on Little's Biotechnology, we created modified facsimiles to meet our current needs…  AVE Maria Unit Won in particular…"

"The name AVE Maria," Glando continued, his hand coming down to rest with the other in the small of his back, "Is based on an acronym from the English words, 'Alien Verisimilitude Entity'.  Maria was added to confuse espionage attempts.  That's why we pronounce it 'Ar-Vey', rather than 'Arve'…  …Or 'Ayve'…"

The Clone looked at the pale giant, a sinking feeling in her heart.

"How do you spell the name 'Rave'?" Glando suddenly asked, "In English?"

Rave had seen enough reports in Romaji (Roman Alphabet) to answer the question.

"R-A-V-E, Sir" Clone#36 replied through trembling lips.

"What do you get…" Glando quietly asked, "…if you add the first letter from the English phrase 'Recombinant DNA', to the beginning of the acronym for AVE?"

When no answer came, Glando said softly, "You… are also an AVE… …RAVE…"

======================================================================

Chapter - Planned Genealogy.

Glando stood patiently, waiting for any reaction the Rave Clone might have.  When none came after several minutes, he turned to check the Clone beside him.

Rave Clone #36 stood beside Glando, her head bowed and her shoulders slumped.  On the ground beneath her, spots of moisture were joined by others, as tears slowly dripped from her face.

…we… the Group Mind was in turmoil.

A memory arose in the Group Mind, a memory of floating somewhere warm, the ebb and flow of liquid being breathed, and of hearing the distorted voice of a blonde-haired scientist say…

"…inside an AVE is a Human Soul…  but the only container that can hold a soul, is Rave… …these things aren't human… just things with human form…"

…not… human…

…things…

…clothes… Rave#3, huddling in shock with other Clones in the Test facility.

…Another memory arose, of Glando asking a pair of Clones…

"Do you understand what was meant by the term 'tough bitch'?"

…And of the Clone's socially inexperienced answer of…

"I believe it was meant as a derogatory comment, an insult, used to imply a female has unusual physical or social qualities, and thus is not a normal female."

"Rave," Glando murmured, his words interrupting Clone#36's train of thought, "I have told you some of the truth, and it has upset you.  Now do you know why I never told you the full truth?"

"…y-yes sir…" the Clone answered in a broken voice.

"There is more to tell you," Glando continued, "But it would also hurt you.  I think it best if you take time to deal with what you now know, rather than suffer from the emotional overload full disclosure may bring.  Don't you agree?"

'Rave' gave a collective, albeit feeble nod.

"But…" Glando reached out to lay a comforting hand on the Clone's shoulder, "…one thing you should know…  Little's DNA equivalents, Alien though they are, already had over a 97 per cent structural match with the information encoded in the Human Genome.  It was Little's genetic template that my wife used as a basis when creating Zero…  Using comparisons with her own DNA template, my wife gave Zero a fully Human appearance…"

"…hair…" the Clone suddenly realised what Glando meant, listing the visible physical differences between herself and the white giant in a hushed whisper, "…ears… finger nails… toes and toe nails… breasts… g-genitalia…"

"Correct.  Parts my wife incorporated from her own DNA…"

"…but…" the Clone whispered, "…no wombs… …we do not contain the cradle of life… we are… empty vessels…"

Glando paused, than said in low and angry tones, "STEELY… carried out their own modifications… unknown to my wife or myself…"

Silence fell between the pair. 

"Rave?" Glando gently prompted.

The Clone raised her tear-streaked face to look at Glando.

Glando squeezed the Clone's shoulder reassuringly, "While a Parent is usually someone who contributes their seed or egg when creating a child, a person may also be considered a parent if they carry a foetus in their womb, or if they adopt a child…  Yet…  None of these definitions… apply to either myself or my late wife… as far as you Clones are concerned…"

"…b-but…" the Clone's voice caught in her throat.

"Rave," Glando said gently, "None of you Clones were born from my seed, nor were you born from my wife's eggs, nor were you carried in her womb.  Your genetic code was created in a Lab, spliced together from the sources that you now know of.  You were all carried to term in artificial wombs, then raised by Guardians…  My wife and I, we are NOT your parents…  Shakey… is NOT your relative…"

The Clone sobbed quietly, her trembling hands rising to cover her face.

"…he is… human…" the Clone's voice almost broke into a wail, "…we… are not…"

Glando's expression fell slightly as he heard the Clone cry.  He hesitated, then reached out and pulled her to him, cradling her against his chest.  The Clone crumpled against Glando's chest, offering no resistance to the familiarity of the embrace.

"What is Human?" Glando asked quietly, "No matter what standard is used, there are always exceptions…  Even among 'normal' Humans, there are differences…  Some are insignificant, like a person's race or skin colour…  Others… are profound…  We all have blood, but blood chemistry varies, and what might be a life-giving transfusion to one person, is liquid death to another…"

Glando looked up at Little, a faint sneer appearing on his lips, "How can you judge Humanity?  How can you judge the worth of the person inside the body?  Should it be measured by the external appearance of their physical form?  By their educated Intelligence?  Or by the things they do, though forced and stymied by dire and uncaring circumstance?"

Glando glared up at Little for few moments longer, then lowered his face.

"There is an old saying…" Glando murmured soothingly, stroking the Clone's hair, "…that 'Family is, as Family does'.  Even though someone is not related to you by blood, they can still be as close to you, as supportive of you, as family or blood kin are supposed to be.  The term 'brother' is often applied to any male, that a person trusts deeply enough to give their loyalty and respect to."

Glando held the distraught Clone, giving what Fatherly care he could…

======================================================================

Chapter - Recall.

In a restricted part of the NERVIS Base, Glando Atari cradled a distraught Rave Clone, waiting for her to get over some of the truths behind her existence.

"How are you feeling," Glando's voice was unusually gentle.

The Clone straightened up, assuming a more emotionally distant posture as she pulled away from Glando and wiped her eyes, keeping her head downcast.

"I am… fine…" the Clone stated, finally understanding one use of the word.

"I'm glad," Glando said quietly, "And what of the Others?"

The Clone paused, casting an unspoken mental query forth and waiting until all had answered, "We are all… fine… Sir…"

"Good…" Glando relaxed slightly, "You are all excused Official Duties for the rest of the day.  Go home and sleep things off.  If anyone asks, tell them to take the matter up with myself…"

"…sir…?"

"Yes?"

"…we came… from Little…"

"Yes…"

"…we… are not normal humans…"

"…No…"

"…is that why…" the Clone paused, "…we can create… E.T. Fields…"

"Perhaps…" Glando stated non-committedly.

"…you said…" the Clone lapsed into silence.

"Yes?"

The Clone raised her head to look at Glando, tears welling in the corners of her eyes as she quoted verbatim, "…'since time immemorial, there have been stories of normal humans who have exhibited extraordinary abilities'…  You said that when we first learned that we could create an E.T. Field…"

"Yes…"

"…you… gave…" the Clone choked on the words, she stopped to swallow and restore her voice, "…the impression… that we… were as human as they were…"

Glando looked impassively at the distraught Clone, then said, "One thing you should know about the Heroes of Legend…  Many of them did not have normal origins…  Many of them were Half-Breeds, born from the union of Gods or Powerful Supernatural Beings with mortals…  Others were created wholly from Magic, or from powerful elemental forces…  Did I ever tell you that about them?"

"…no…"

"Did you ever know that about them before now?"

"…no…" the Clone seemed subdued.

"Even though such explanations were part of the Training materials I gave you?"

The Clone hesitated, then nodded.  The Training materials Glando had used to teach the Clones about PSI abilities, had included many fanciful explanations of the origins of the powers depicted.  But then, Hollywood and Anime had never been famous for relying too heavily on Hard Science…   

"Rave…" Glando's attitude became tense and urgent, "The Human Race is fighting for its very survival…  Do you blame us for trying to create the Heroes we needed to save us?"

The Clone was taken aback, "…no…"

"Will you forgive the race who gave you birth?"

The Clone blushed, clearly embarrassed, "…yes sir…"

"I am glad to hear that…" Glando murmured…

======================================================================

Chapter - Misdiagnosis.

The doors of Glando's private elevator opened, and Glando entered his Office.

"Are you trying to give me a Heart Attack?" Fu2ok demanded from his place in the chair at Glando's desk.

Glando didn't react to the comment.

"Damn it All!" Fu2ok exclaimed, "I get an automated alert telling me to be prepared to take over command, and when I try to contact you, you're God knows where, doing God knows what!  I only find you when it SUITS you to be found, and even THEN what do I see?  You telling a Rave Clone the TRUTH about her origins?  A Rave Clone that was obviously on the brink of an emotional collapse?!  You-"

"Don't worry, Professor…" Glando's mild reply cut through the other's vitriol, "It was the timing of the thing…  I was unable to employ any social niceties…"

Fu2ok spluttered something unprintable.

"Still," Glando's expression became more sombre as he sat on the corner of his desk, "We survived this latest crisis, and in doing so, have found ourselves with some important questions…"

"As usual!" Fu2ok sighed, "What came out of Pandora's Box THIS time?"

"Rave didn't want to say who gave her the information about herself…" Glando appeared thoughtful, "Given the situation, I deemed it unwise to press her on the matter too strongly…  Still, there are only so many people who could tell her…"

Fu2ok sighed, "How many do we have to round up this time?"

"None…"

"None?"

"I had my suspicions, so I made a few fruitful enquiries…  It appears that earlier today, the Clone spoke to Doctor Akatlover in her cell…  Along with Major Kutsarug…"

Fu2ok glanced suspiciously at Glando, "I thought any visits had to be authorised by ourselves?  Why did you give them permission?"

"I didn't," Glando said in a too quiet voice, much to Fu2ok's sudden alarm, "But it appears that somehow, WE both did…  While the Major could have used her own resources to find out where Doctor Akatlover was being held, she somehow managed to get permission to visit Doctor Akatlover without obtaining any of the Official releases required…"

"What?  How?"

"I asked the Major that myself, soon after I sent Rave home.  According to the Major, the visitation request was authorised by Rave…"

"WHAT?"

"The Clone acting as Rave today confirmed it.  The name of Rave Imanonymous appeared as an authorised officer on the electronic application form…"

"That's Impossible!"

"I know…" Glando muttered, "That's why I had the application thoroughly checked out by a Security Tech team…"

"Let me guess," Fu2ok sounded as tired as he looked, "Random Computer Glitch?"

"No…  Despite what the Major and Rave both said, the form appeared to have been duly authorised by the two of us, rather than Rave.  While the form's point of origin was in the Major's office according to the two witnesses, the Security Tech team couldn't find a definite source.  All they could do, was trace it back into an endless electronic loop of 'passing the buck'…"

"STEELY…" the word hissed out of Fu2ok.

"Most likely," Glando confirmed sourly, "Who else would know our systems well enough to falsify security clearances…  While choosing the Major's request seems odd, it may have been a specific test of our security…"

"That's the last thing we need," Fu2ok stated bitterly, "STEELY knowing that their secret agents can come and go as they please on forged authorisations…"

Glando scowled, "This charade IS almost over.  Despite their words to the contrary, it appears that STEELY is already moving against us…"

Fu2ok looked deathly ill…

Glando's voice lowered into a growl of anger, "Since we don't know what they've done with this ability, or how long they've been using it…  We no longer have any choice…  We must take drastic countermeasures…  Immediately!"

======================================================================

Chapter - Distance.

The Group Mind had calmed down from the events of the afternoon, but here and there in the star dappled landscape of the Clones' Mind, there were ripples.

Reflections of Rave in locker room mirrors, memories of other girls in the changing room …we are different to other girls…

…we knew…

…yet…

…we did not know…

…how…

…how much…

…

A vision of a white giant …not human…

Various laboratories …created…

Clothes hanging in a locker …clothes…

Zero on her slab, Vegetables in a frypan …tailor made…

A strange feeling existed in the Group Mind, a bitter-sweet thing, a longing that proved elusive …loneliness…

Rave sitting naked on the floor in a dark room …the sense of being alone…

Many Raves sitting on the floor in the dark …we are many… yet still alone…

Memories of walking through crowds …we walk among them…

People walking around Rave, letting her pass by …yet never with them…

People's disinterest, their aloofness to Rave …a gulf exists between us…

The truth of their 'heritage' …and all others…

Wondering why they seemed different …we sensed it…

The puzzle of their appearance …but did not know it for what it was…

A vision of Shakey smiling at her …

Shakey talking to her …yet…?

Shakey holding her …perhaps…?

The Commander holding her …yes…!

Mazurka holding her …perhaps…!

…the distance…

…is not so great…

…it cannot be crossed…

While some Clones slept, the others thought long and hard…

======================================================================

The END of this Book of "Altered Lives (The Parody)"

======================================================================

OMAKE - The Searchers.

One of the Twins finished her keystrokes, and was rewarded with the appearance of a new window on her screen.

Uplink established…

Reactors on line…

Accessing Star charts…

Disengaging docking restraints…

Anti-gravity Drive to full strength…

With a Mournful Groan, the entire school building slowly ripped free from the ground and began rising at an accelerating rate into the atmosphere…

The Fan Fiction Writer began to sweat, this WASN'T in his plans for the story…

"Err?  Ladies?" the F.F.W. nervously ventured, "What exactly are you doing?"

The Clone acting as Rave spoke up, "Do you remember the ending of that 'Otaku No Video' Fan-Sub you saw all those years ago?"

"Err… Possibly…?"

"Well, we've decided to go and look for the Planet of the Bishounen Hunks!  We've heard it's located somewhere in the Shoujo Manga Quadrant…"

"Um…" the F.F.W. noted how many of Rave's fellow students were in the class room with the Clones, "But why take all the others?"

"Because there's a convenient Plot Device of a Magic Portal," the Clone replied with a toothy grin, "That can transform even the Ugliest Dork Jerk-Off into a Sensitive New Age Sex Symbol…"

"???" the F.F.W. couldn't believe his ears, but was powerless to do anything.

Sometime later…  The School building dropped from de-warping Orbit back into the hole in the school grounds…

"???" the F.F.W. couldn't believe his eyes, when Gorgeous Examples of Prime Teenaged Manhood began strolling casually out of the building…

"Strewth!" the F.F.W. exclaimed aloud, "The Girls must have been right on the money!  All these blokes need are the outfits, and it'd look like 'Hunks Day' at a CLAMP Cosplayers convention…"

"Tell me about it," said a soft, well-cultured voice.

The comment came from a longhaired Bishounen Hunk, one looking like a 'Noble Hero' version of the Main male Characters from 'Revolutionary Girl Utena'…

"Ah…  Sorry Mate…  You are…?"

The Bishounen Hunk sighed, the slight shake of his head causing his long silky locks to float like gossamer on the breeze, "It's me… Kantsee!"

"KANTSEE?" the F.F.W. was incredulous, "But… But you wear glasses?"

"Beneficial Mutation…" Kantsee smiled, "I've now got perfect 20/20 vision…"

Being a Middle Aged Lard A--E, the F.F.W. stared enviously at the transmogrified teen, before sidling up to one of the smug looking Clones…

"UM…  Where EXACTLY did you say that planet was?" the F.F.W. asked hopefully.

Note - Otaku no Video was a legendary comedy about the adventure of some Fans (Otakus) and their rise to power and glory by creating their own entertainment empire.  It finished with them searching space for the Planet of the Otakus…

Note - Bishounen Hunks are Handsome Young Men.  Shoujo Manga are comics targeted at girl and young women readers.

Note - CLAMP is a Anime/Manga publisher run by women.  Not surprisingly, they have lots of stories with cute guys in them.

Note - Cosplay is short for Costume Play, or dressing up as a favourite character.  Cosplayers are Fans who make a habit of doing this at conventions.

Note - in Revolutionary Girl Utena, the two Main Hunks are more on the Evil Side than the Noble side.  The term 'Devilishly Handsome' applies. 

Note - Kantsee has light brown hair, and to a colour-blind person like myself, it appears reasonably close to the Main Male characters in Revolutionary Girl Utena.

======================================================================

OMAKE - Playing Doctor.

Mayi didn't reply, she just keyed in some data on her computer terminal.  On the screens around her, various medical scans came up, mostly of the x-ray and ultrasound variety.

"…see for yourself…" Mayi gestured weakly at a particular screen.

"Mazurka turned her untrained eye on the image shown…

Done in black, white and various shades of grey, the image was labelled as being a scan of someone's upper Thorax.  Rib bones, spine and the top of the pelvic girdle stood out in white and bright greys, with more subtle shadings marking the location of intestines and internal organs.

"What am I looking for?" Mazurka demanded, unable to see Mayi's point.

"THIS!" Mayi's voice broke as she stabbed a finger at the scan.

"Mayi," Mazurka sighed irritably, "I'm NOT a Medical technician!  What exactly are you trying to show me?"

"The candidates are ALL like Rave…" Mayi slowly ground out, her voice edging on hysteria, "None of them… have silicon implants…"

Mazurka blinked, "What?"

Mayi sighed disconsolately, "She's only fifteen!  At 160 cm she's already the height of the average Japanese woman…  But with her figure ALREADY like that…"

Mazurka twigged to what Mayi was saying, "Oh S--T!  You're right!  If the Clones keeps developing at this rate, they'll not only become Japan's answer to 'Elle McPherson', but 'Linsey Dawn McKenzie' as well!"

"How do you think it makes me feel?" wailed Mayi, "Here I am, a sweet young woman with a pure heart and a decent bod, but I know I'll never get a look in with the males 'cause the Clones will surpass my feminine charms by the time they're 18!  Unless I submit to scraping the bottom of the dating barrel, I'm doomed to be an Old Maid for life…  WAHHHHH!"  Mayi burst into tears.

Mazurka's heart went out to the distressed Technician, she went over and took her friend and workmate in a sympathetic hug, "Oh Mayi…  You're not alone…  All of us Japanese women are in the same boat…  We're all feeling the social pressure from Japanese Men's fascination with those Fat-Uddered Foreign Things…"

"Still," Mazurka smiled, "That's not to say that the Men's fascination with the Clones figures won't be ALL bad!"

"Huh?" Mayi didn't understand.

"It seems to ME," once again, Mazurka's Sheer Tactical Brilliance began making Long Range Plans, "That we owe it to the Girls to protect them from the sort of sleazes that will only be after them for their bodies.  H--L!  To be fair to the girls, we should make sure that they only get the VERY Best of what Fine Young Men are available…"

Mayi blinked, the light dawning, "Y-You mean?"

Mazurka grinned, "And since all those Heart-broken Hunks that only JUST failed to measure up may need consoling…"

"I get you!" a smiling Mayi confirmed, "A Second-rate Bishounen Hunk on the Rebound, is better than a First-rate Scumbag on the Prowl…"

Note – Elle McPherson is a famous Australian Fashion model.

Note – Linsey Dawn Mckenzie is a famous British Pinup model.

======================================================================

OMAKE - Facts Of Life.

Mayi shook her head, "I have trouble believing that Major.  If a genetic flaw resulted in the total removal of the Uterus and Fallopian tubes, then it should have affected the rest of their Birth Canal as well…"

"Birth Canal?" the term was lost on Mazurka.

"You know?" Mayi prompted, "Their Coital Sheath?  The dilatable membranous canal that stretches from the Cervix of the Uterus to the Labia Minora?"

"Please use plain words!" Mazurka felt a headache coming on, "I've already said that I'm NOT a Medical technician…"

Mayi blinked, then the ghost of smile appeared on her face, "The part inside their… Omanko…" (Japanese equivalent to using 'Pussy' for Female Genitals)

Mazurka coughed discretely, "Well… I… wouldn't know about that…"

======================================================================

OMAKE - Playing the Piper.

"Sir…" the words were louder than Rave usually spoke, "…why were we not told… that Shakey is our relative?"

Glando slowly sat back in his chair, his hands casually resting on the arms of his chair, "What makes you think, he is your relative?"

"We share DNA…" #36 replied quietly, "…from his mother…"

Glando suddenly rose from his chair, his extra height making the Clone tilt her head to look up at him.

Glando pressed a button on his desk, and an ancient musical tune filled the air.

"Rave," Glando said, his voice slipping into 'singing mode', "I know you like Shakey, and want to have him as a boyfriend…  But I Have To Say No…"

"???" wondered the Clone, as Glando acted completely out of character, swaying around ala Elvis 'The Pelvis' Presley in time to the music.

"That Boy Is Your Brother, But Your Brother Don't Know!" Glando growled out.

All of the Clones suddenly sprang up in the background, singing in unison the chorus of "Woe!  Is ME!  Shame and Scandal In The Family!"

======================================================================

OMAKE - Family Reunion and Second Generation.

"She… does not look like us…" the Clone stated the obvious.

"She had an accident," Glando replied, "Once, she was as normal as you are…"

"What…" The Clone asked with a tremble in both her voice and body, "…happened?"

"Zero was partially absorbed," Glando murmured, "We were able to retrieve her in a… physically survivable condition…  But… she had no mind…"

The Rave Clone stared at the seven-foot tall ivory statue of body-sculpted perfection on the slab.  Zero's silky blue hair flowed in fashionable waves down past her waist, highlighting the trim curves of well-muscled limbs, and an overly-generous 'hourglass' shaped torso barely contained within a skimpy string bikini that adhered like a second skin. 

!!?? thought the Clone, as she estimated stress loads, The Bikini top MUST be made of Kevlar!  There is NO WAY ordinary material could support the weight!

"We did our best to rebuild her…" Glando said quietly, a sad look on his face, "But as you can see, our best was… barely sufficient…"

"Did what you could, huh?" the Clone repeated, arching an eyebrow as she mentally compared her own developing figure to Zero's lushly over-endowed one.

"Commander?" asked the Clone, "How… OLD… is Zero?"

"The age of Genetic Constructs such as Zero and yourselves is relative," Glando replied cryptically, "But, you were cloned from her when Zero was about five years of age, back before Second Strike…"

"So…" mused the Clone, "With time for creation and gestation of our blastomeres… and we are about fifteen now…  She is about… 21 Years of age?"

"Yes," agreed Glando, "She would be about that, IF she were a normal person…"

The Clone looked at Glando, "And you are not… attracted… to girls as young as we Clones are?"

"Of course not," Glando blushed, "I'm NOT that sort of man!"

"Of course not," said the Clone, her gaze lingering suspiciously on a rack of Zero-sized 'Cosplaying' outfits in one corner of the room.

======================================================================

OMAKE - Planned Genealogy.

Glando squeezed the Clone's shoulder reassuringly, "While a Parent is usually someone who contributes their seed or egg when creating a child, a person may also be considered a parent if they carry a foetus in their womb, or if they adopt a child…  Yet…  None of these definitions… apply to either myself or my late wife… as far as you Clones are concerned…"

The Clone sobbed quietly, her trembling hands rising to cover her face.  

Glando's expression fell slightly as he heard the Clone cry.  He hesitated, then reached out and pulled her to him, cradling her against his chest.  The Clone crumpled against Glando's chest, offering no resistance to the familiarity of the embrace.

"So," said the Clone as she suddenly looped her arms around Glando and hugged him back, rather FIRMLY, "You acknowledge that we Clones are NOT related to you?"

"Err?" flustered Glando, "Yes, well, that IS technically correct…"

"Commander," the Clone said in 'warm' tones, her blushing face smiling shyly up at Glando, "I Love You…  I want you to be the Father of my children…"

"Ahhh… Haaa?" gurgled Glando, beginning to sweat drop profusely as he realised the dangerous situation he was in, "Rave… y-you're only fif-fifteen and…"

"I will be an adult in 2019," the Clone reminded Glando, "I can wait…"

'S--T!' thought Glando, 'Has the Fan Fiction Writer been reading the Manga episode where Asuka 'declares her love' for Kaji, or what?'

=========================The END of the OMAKE=========================


End file.
